Samsung announces a "breakthrough" in LED technology-- one allowing the development and eventual production of ultra-large display panels on ordinary sheets of glass in the future, the Korea Times reports.

Researchers say “in ten years, window panes will double as lighting and display screens, giving personality to buildings.”

The breakthrough itself involves the production of “nearly single crystalline Gallium Nitride (GaN) on amorphous glass substrates”-- a milestone leading towards the creation of larger products (400x larger than the current GaN LED size of 2-inches) while lowering production costs.

The technology will surely first go into large commercial screens (sports displays, advertising boards) but Samsung may also leverage it into consumer devices and residential installations.

The only drawback? Samsung says it still needs up to 10 years to develop the technology into commercial production.

Go Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology

Go Samsung Reports LED Breakthrough (Korea Times)

Global Q2 2011 flat panel TV shipments fall "slightly" due to soft consumer demand and a still-uncertain global economy according to IHS iSuppli-- with shipments falling by 1.3% Q-o-Q and reaching 48.04M units.

In comparison, Q1 2011 shipments total 48.68M.

From the global Q2 2011 total, LCD TVs make 43.39M units-- with a Q-o-Q decrease of -2.7%. Plasma TV shipments reach 4.65M, growing by 13.9% over Q1.

A economic concerns in Europe (alongside N. America and Japan) dampen demand in Q2 2011-- a quarter "usually stronger than the first," the analyst says.

However, flat panel revenues are still up, reaching $31.5 billion (up by 3.6% Q-o-Q) thanks to larger TV sizes and features (3D, IPTV, LED backlighting and higher frequencies) demanding premium prices.

The 32" category still dominates the LCD TV space, even if iSuppli expects 32" market share to fall from 41% in 2010 to 36% in 2011. From a global LCD TV market, W. Europe currently has 18% market share.

Meanwhile the plasma category still depends on "the availability of larger sizes and aggressive prices," even if iSuppli expects the category to start losing the pricing advantage from 2012 onwards. The analyst concludes W. Europe also has 18% share of the global plasma TV market.

Go IHS iSuppli: Global Flat Panel TV Shipments Slighly Down in Q2

In its world premiere, the C SEED 201 TV takes high-tech TV onto the outdoors with a 201-inch (5.11m) 16:9 LED screen. But this is more than just a big screen…

You can direct the performance by radio remote control. You press a button to raise up the screen to the desired height from its hidden shaft in the ground and then rotate it to a maximum of 270 degree angle for optimal viewing comfort.

The C SEED 201 column takes 15 seconds to achieve its full height of 4.65 m (15 ft). After the next 25 seconds, 7 massive LED panels soundlessly unfold. A TV tech sculpture now dominates the outdoor scene…

Designed by Porsche Design Studio, The C SEED 201 grew out of a passion to deliver the ultimate outdoor LED TV…

Instead of taking up space when not in use, the C SEED 201 folds up and retreats below ground, where it stays safe and dry in its water-resistant shaft. Only to rise again…and again…and again…

Go C SEED 201

Park Associates says around 15-30% of W. European broadband households show interest in a TV Everywhere solution allowing them to view TV programming on multiple devices.

The UK shows most interest, with 30% of broadband households saying they are willing to pay more for such services-- with Spain and Italy following close behind.

The report shows around 30% of broadband households would switch to a provider offering free TV Everywhere, while 10-20% would consolidate mobile and internet services with a single provider to access TV Everywhere services.

Park Associates says providers can only charge extra fees for TV Everywhere "so long nobody else offers it for free"-- the prisoner's dilemma in economic action, basically.

Go Consumers in W. Europe Interested in TV Everywhere (Parks Associates)