TCL’s German QLED ban puts pressure on TV brands to be more honest about QDs

Germany recently banned TCL from marketing some of its TVs as QLED (quantum dot light-emitting diode), with a Munich court ruling that the TVs lack the quantum dot (QD) structure and performance associated with QLED TVs. The decision increases pressure on TV companies to be more honest with their marketing. Samsung has actively campaigned against TCL’s use of the term QLED. A year ago, Samsung sent Ars Technica results from testing performed by Intertek, a London-headquartered testing and certification company, on TCL’s 65Q651G, 65Q681G, and 75Q651G. The results showed that the TVs lacked sufficient amounts of cadmium and indium (two chemicals used in QD TVs, either individually or in combination). Intertek reportedly tested the optical sheet, diffuser plate, and LED modules in each TV using a minimum detection standard of 0.5 mg/kg for cadmium and 2 mg/kg for indium. At the time, a TCL representative told me that TCL had “definitive substantiation for the claims made regarding its QLED televisions.” But based on previous dissections of TCL TVs shared online and conversations with industry experts, it seems those TVs may employ some QDs but not enough to offer a significantly wider color gamut than similarly specced, non-QD rivals. It’s common for TVs marketed as QD, especially budget sets, to primarily rely on phosphors or a combination of phosphors and QDs at varying ratios, for color conversion. That’s instead of, as the terms QD TV and QLED suggest, QDs. Phosphors are cheaper than QDs, and their associated color performance in displays is not as good. Other manufacturers, including Samsung, have been accused of marketing TVs that rely heavily on phosphors as QD or QLED. German ruling backs QD concerns Given the rivalry between Samsung and TCL, it’s reasonable to view Samsung-commissioned testing on TCL TVs with some skepticism. But there’s no doubt that TV marketing has muddied the meaning of terms like QDs and QLED, making it easy to see how companies like TCL might overstate their use of QDs to justify higher prices and drive demand. Earlier this month, a Munich court ruled on a lawsuit from Samsung, reportedly finding that it’s misleading for TCL to market some of its TVs, including the QLED870-series sold in Europe, as QLED.