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LG Reveals Flexible e-Book Display

Seoul, South Korea –

LG Display

said Thursday that it has started mass production of what it called “the world’s
first plastic electronic paper display (EPD) for use in e-books.”

The 6-inch XGA (1,024 by 768), E Ink, plastic EPD offers a
flexible, almost paper-like, reading surface with a plastic substrate that is
as slim as cellphone protection film. The flexible design allows bending at a
range of 40 degrees from the center of the screen.

Compared to glass EPD of the same size and resolution, LG
Display’s plastic EPD realizes a thickness of 0.028 inches, which is one-third
slimmer than existing glass EPD. It is also less than half the weight, at just
half an ounce.

“With the world’s first plastic EPD, LG Display has once again
proven its reputation for leadership and innovation with a product we believe
will help greatly popularize the e-book market,” said Sang Duck Yeo, LG
Display’s mobile/OLED division operations head. “Based on our success in
mass-producing plastic EPD, we are excited as we look toward applying concepts
from this experience to future developments like plastic OLED and flexible
displays.”

LG estimated that as much as 10 percent of e-book users have
damaged their product screens by accidentally dropping or hitting them. The LG
plastic EPD passed repeated damage tests for a drop of 4.9 feet (the average
height of reading when standing).

When put through a break/scratch test involving hitting the
display with a small urethane hammer, no scratches or breakage resulted, the
company said.

As EPD gets thinner, lighter and more durable with the
introduction of plastic EPD, e-books will be able to offer certain unique
benefits compared to smart devices and tablets, including reduced eye fatigue
and more efficient electricity consumption, in addition to lower prices.

LG said it developed a unique technique to utilize the high TFT
process, typically employed in general LCD manufacturing and with temperatures
exceeding 350 degrees, in the production of its plastic EPD.

By overcoming the obstacles associated with applying the existing
production process to heat susceptible plastic, LG Display achieved a
breakthrough with the successful mass production of plastic EPD able to
maintain strong durability in high temperatures.

LG said the first mass-produced volumes of plastic EPDs will be
supplied to ODM companies in China, followed by the release of completed products
in Europe at the beginning of next month.  

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