(Image credit: LG)

LG Display is testing a new kind of OLED panel technology that could transform the TVs of the future – although in the short term it's likely to appear in smaller sizes for applications such as in-car displays first.

As part of a near-billion dollar investment in next-generation OLED, LG is reportedly experimenting with eLEAP production.

Developed in Japan, eLEAP is a different way of making OLED panels. It's short for "environment positive lithography with maskless deposition, extreme long life, low power and high luminance, any shape patterning". And while the acronym is rather forced, the tech itself is very promising.

With eLEAP, OLEDs aren't made with the fine metal masks of current panel production. Instead, they're printed in a more precise lithography process that enables better brightness, better energy efficiency and better longevity too.

It could even help eradicate dreaded OLED screen burn issues.

Is eLEAP a big leap forward for TV tech?

The new tech was announced in 2022 by Japan Display, which began very small-scale production in 2024. And according to trade site The Elec, LG Display now intends to test eLEAP in the production of RGB panels at its existing plant in South Korea.

That's important because LG reportedly believes that it can utilise its existing production equipment with relatively minor modifications.

The Elec says that the displays made by LG, if it decides to adopt the production method, would initially be in the 20 to 30-inch range, and would target "niche" markets such as in-car infotainment and dashboards.

LG isn't the only firm experimenting with eLEAP; The Elec says that Samsung is evaluating the technology too, and according to FlatpanelsHD the Chinese firm Visionox is moving forward with a similar maskless production method.

Here's hoping the tests are positive, because eLEAP sounds very promising. According to Japan Display, it delivers twice the brightness and three times the lifespan of current OLED tech.

That extended lifespan is because it uses less energy, and subsequently generates less heat – and of course heat is a key factor in the dreaded burn-in that still plagues OLED TVs. It could be a win all round.