When organic light-emitting diode (OLED) televisions were first put on display people were immediately grabbed by the stunning resolution and bright color capabilities possible. Place an OLED TV beside a plasma or LED TV and the difference is immediate. That is also true if you place the price tag of the OLED beside the plasma/LED. Because OLED technology is still new the price range for these kinds of TVs are astronomical. The first commercial OLED TV is Sony’s XEL-1 and its 11-inch display will set you back about $1,800 if you can find one (they are only available in Japan right now.)

Today the chairman of Sony said that the company will begin to sell OLED televisions in America starting next year. “When you look at OLED, your impulse is to say ‘wow’. We need that reaction from people at Sony … it’s a statement of confidence, that there is a path to somewhere else,” said Howard Stringer at a Sony vision seminar held in Tokyo.

Unlike plasma or LED technology OLEDs don’t require backlighting since the color comes from organic chemicals that are given an electric charge. This allows for a greater color spectrum to be displayed as well as creating brighter images which allow the OLED screen to be easily visible even in a bright room.

The move will position Sony as the only manufacturer of OLED products. Toshiba had announced plans to roll out its own OLED TV line beginning in 2009 but recently broke that promise citing the high cost of manufacturing the new technology.

via MSNBC