OLED TVs sure offer phenomenal picture quality, but even now, 2 years after Sony launched its XEL-1, we still wait for large-screen versions. Samsung showcased a 40-inch OLED display last year (pictured). Now Panasonic might be onto something bigger. The company is planning to develop the world’s first OEL panel that’s sized at “40 inches or larger” by fiscal 2010.

Panasonic will team up with major chemical company Sumitomo Chemical to produce the OLED displays in a new LCD TV plant Panasonic will open in summer next year. The companies said by 2015, their 40-inch OLED TVs should boast a power consumption of 40W, a third of current LCD TVs and just 10% of what existing plasma TVs of that size use.

The TVs are also expected to be just 3mm thick and 20 times brighter than plasma displays that are on the market today. We can’t wait (for affordable OEL panels).

Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]