This is a translation of a foreign article, so there may be translation errors.
TCL CSOT Showcases Tri-Folding Inkjet-Printed OLED Panel Again
TCL CSOT is once again demonstrating the technological prowess of its new inkjet-printed OLED factory. At IFA 2026, held last week, the company unveiled a prototype tri-folding OLED monitor panel that transforms from a compact 16-inch display to a 28-inch ultrawide with just the push of a button.
Unlike the single crease found on most foldable devices today, this panel features two fold lines. According to TCL CSOT, the radius of curvature is only 1.8mm, and the thickness when fully unfolded is just 4.48mm. The company explains that this exceptionally thin profile—so thin it's unclear whether it's a laptop screen or a rollable tablet device—offers a way to combine the portability of a typical laptop with the immersive experience of an ultrawide monitor in a single form factor that easily fits in a small bag.
The tri-folding design is not the only new technology of this panel. The panel was developed through TCL CSOT's new inkjet printing process (IJP OLED), which has finally borne fruit after years of development. IJP technology has the potential to dramatically improve OLED manufacturing efficiency, and theoretically could lead to reduced manufacturing costs, benefiting consumers.
Through IJP technology, TCL CSOT has moved away from the fine metal mask (FMM) and vacuum deposition methods used by companies like LG Display and Samsung Display to deposit red, green, and blue subpixels on substrates. Instead, it uses sophisticated equipment to directly print organic OLED materials onto glass or plastic substrates, much like printing on paper.
This Chinese display manufacturer explains that the IJP method results in significantly less material loss compared to the conventional method using mask-based deposition. Analysts estimate that this approach could reduce the overall manufacturing cost of OLED panels by approximately 35%. Additionally, the elimination of fine metal masks opens the door to easier manufacturing of unique and large-scale OLED form factors, such as TCL CSOT's tri-folding panel.
In addition to the tri-folding panel, TCL CSOT also showcased a 14-inch 2K IJP OLED panel for laptops that achieves 99% DCI-P3 color gamut and features an anti-glare coating that prevents light reflection. Although it's a relatively standard form factor, this is intended to demonstrate that the overall quality of this new technology panel is as excellent as products from rivals LG Display and Samsung Display, which TCL CSOT aims to disrupt in the existing market. The company also unveiled a 27-inch 4K IJP OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and full-screen brightness of 500 nits.
While there is considerable interest in IJP OLED, when these products will actually be commercialized remains unclear. Although this is not the company's first appearance since first unveiling at SID Display Week in May, TCL CSOT has still not mentioned a timeline for consumer release. The company began construction of its IJP OLED factory in late 2025 and is showing smooth progress toward operation. Chinese media raised claims in March that the company could begin mass production of its first panel in July 2026, but this has not actually materialized.
For now, these displays remain in the proof-of-concept stage, but it's clear that TCL CSOT is getting closer to commercialization. The company plans to first produce IJP panels for smaller devices like laptops and monitors, and has plans to expand production to larger OLED panels for TVs in the long term.
▶ Original Source: https://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/tcl-csot-shows-off-its-tri-folding-inkjet-printed-oled-panel-again
