The LCD screen on your mobile phone may soon be replaced by an OLED screen, something that has been in the works for about five years but which is just now gaining real traction in the industry. There are predictions throughout the consumer electronics industry that OLED screens are soon going to be the screens that we see on many portable devices including gaming systems, digital cameras and cell phones. For the most part this advance in mobile phone screen technology is a positive thing. However, there are definite drawbacks to the OLED screen which consumers should be aware of as more and more of these devices begin entering the market.

What is an OLED Screen?

OLED is an acronym for “organic light-emitting diode”, a type of screen that has an emissive layer which is composed of organic compounds. What does that mean? Basically this is a type of screen that’s constructed differently from the standard LCD screen that we find on most phones today. OLED pixels emit their light directly without filters which allows these screens to have many benefits for the user in comparison with LCD screens.

Benefits of OLED Screens

There are some definite strong reasons that handset makers and consumers are interested in making the switch from standard phone screens to new OLED screens. Some of the benefits of OLED screens include:

- OLED screens are more energy efficient. The single greatest reason that people are interested in OLED screens on mobile phones is that these screens are far more energy-efficient than LCD screens. These screens do not require any sort of backlight to be lit which significantly reduces the consumption of power when using the phone. This means that the battery of the phone can last longer without requiring recharging. As phones become increasingly complex, handset designers need to do all that they can to reduce the drain on the battery. People interested in being green with their mobile phones also like the fact that OLED screens are more energy efficient than LCD phones.
- OLED screens are more vibrant. People who want a phone experience that is pleasing to the eye tend to enjoy OLED screens because the colors on these screens are more vibrant than those on traditional LCD screens. The way that the OLED screen pixels directly emit light allows for a better viewing experience in terms of the contrast, brightness, and coloring on the screens. Additionally, the technology means that the colors are less affected when the viewing angle changes than what we see on LCD screens so you can hold your phone in different ways and still get the same viewing experience. As we start to do more and more on our phones, including sharing photos and videos, we want to have an improved user viewing experience and the OLED screen provides us with that option.
- OLED screens are thinner. The design of the OLED screen makes it thinner than other screens. This can reduce the thickness of the mobile phone to some extent. Those people who want thinner and thinner phones can be satisfied with the developments that are being made in this area of handset design. The weight of these phones may also be less.
- OLED screens may be faster. The response time for this technology is slightly quicker than that of LCD screens which could make the user experience better on these phones.
- OLED screens may be more durable. There are some indications that these screens are less prone to breaking than traditional phone screens which is good news for those of us who are hard on our handsets. Of course, you still need to avoid dropping your phone as much as possible but you’ll find that the quality of the screen is compromised less when you drop most OLED screen phones than when you drop the phone you’re using today.
- OLED screens have some flexibility. We recently saw the attraction of this in the new concept phone by Kyocera which offers a bendable phone design made possible by this type of screen.
- Potential for lower cost. The process of making OLED screens seems to have the potential to be less costly than that for LCD screens. At the current time, manufacturing costs are high because it’s a new technology but it is believed that future development of this technology could lead to a reduced cost for these screens. There is some possibility that handset makers will pass on that savings to consumers with lower-priced phones although this is by no means guaranteed in the market.

Drawbacks of OLED Screens

Although most of what we know about OLED screens is positive, there are also some drawbacks to consider when it comes to these screens. Those drawbacks include:

- OLED screens have a shorter life span. The OLED screen is not designed to last as long as the LCD screen will. This means that people need to replace these phones more quickly than they must replace phones today. This could be considered a problem. However, most people already replace their phones within one year of purchase since the technology changes so rapidly so this may not be as big of a problem for OLED adoption as it appears to be at first glance. Additionally, handset makers are working on methods of increasing the life span of phones with OLED screens so it is possible that this problem will be reduced as more of these phones enter the market.
- OLED screens may be harder to see in direct sunlight. If you’re going to be using your phone outdoors or in sunny rooms then you may find that the improved user experience is detracted from since you can’t see these screens nearly as clearly as LCD screens when you are viewing them in direct sunlight.
- OLED screens are more prone to water damage. You shouldn’t have your phone near water anyway but you’ll find that the LCD screen can withstand some water damage better than the OLED screen can.
- Costs of manufacturing are currently high. Although there is potential for greater savings with OLED screens in the long run, the current cost of manufacturing these phones is higher than that of standard LCD screens and this could mean that the handsets made using this technology will initially be pricier.

Future of OLED Screens on Mobile Phones

The benefits of OLED screens on mobile phones may far outweigh the drawbacks. Samsung, the leading maker of active matrix OLED screen phones today, has predicted that by 2012 we will see OLED screens on fifty percent of mobile phones. These screens are also showing up on designs for concept phones intended for future development. However, it’s probably going to be a few more years before the disadvantages of OLED screens are worked out well enough to bring a large number of these phones to the market.