AUO Debuts 5-inch FHD OLED Smartphone Display with the World's Highest Resolution

HSINCHU, Taiwan, April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) announced that it will participate in China Information Technology Expo & China Optoelectronics Display Expo 2013 (CITE & CODE 2013) in Shenzhen from April 10 to 12. With the theme of "Experiencing the ultimate visual experience with ultra high definition" this year, AUO will demonstrate its display applications and technologies focusing on the ultra-high resolution, super narrow bezel, high performance touch solution, and diverse applications & technologies with high added value. Among them, AUO will debut the 5-inch Full HD OLED smartphone display with a resolution as high as 443 ppi (pixel per inch), the highest^* resolution OLED in the world.

The exhibition highlights include the 5-inch FHD OLED panel, a full lineup of smartphone applications with high resolution and super narrow bezel panels ranging from 5" to 5.7", the 10.1" AHVA tablet display, and the 65-inch and 55-inch UHD 4K LCD TV panels. For public information displays, AUO will showcase the 55" switchable mirror display and the 65" hybrid transparent display for vending machines. Furthermore, AUO will also exhibit One-Glass-Solution (OGS) touch solutions to provide high value-added display solutions to its customers.

The World's Highest Resolution FHD OLED and Full lineup of Smartphone Displays Debut

As smartphones get more popular and the sizes of mobile displays grow larger, AUO continues to develop a full lineup of smartphone panel sizes and features to meet customized and diverse product demands. Recently, AUO successfully won business in China's high-end smartphone market.

In this exhibition, AUO will present its 5-inch FHD OLED smartphone which boasts the world's highest resolution. The OLED panel is made by the fine shadow mask process and its resolution reaches 443 ppi. It not only features low power consumption, and high picture quality, but is also equipped with high contrast, high brightness, fast response time, and free viewing angle, providing the best visual experiences to viewers.

In terms of LCD smartphone panels, AUO will unveil a series of display applications ranging from 5 inches to 5.7 inches, adopting AHVA technology with LTPS production process, or Hyper LCD technology. These panels are equipped with full HD resolution or HD720, and wide viewing angles. In particular, AUO's 5-inch Full HD AHVA Mobile Display has full HD resolution of 443ppi (1080x1920), satisfying consumers' ultimate quest toward exquisite image quality. The design of super narrow bezel with a mere 1mm-width from display area to touch panel border maximizes the display area available, making image and video viewing area larger in frame size.

UHD 4K Panels Present Vivid and Stereoscopic Images

AUO is leading the development of UHD 4K display technology, the hottest trend in the TV display market. The 65-inch and 55-inch UHD 4K TV panels that will be demonstrated in the exhibit feature a quad-HD resolution of 3840x2160.  They not only present more vivid and lifelike images, and clearer image depth for more stereoscopic pictures, but also show smoother dynamic images. Among them, AUO's 65-inch UHD 4K panel equipped with pattern retarder 3D presents even more vivid and higher quality 3D images.

Public Information Displays Showing Innovative and Value-added Applications

The commercial applications of public information displays are becoming more diverse. AUO will demonstrate various innovative and high value-added applications, including digital signage, transparent cabinet showcases, mirror displays, and transparent displays for vending machine in the exhibition. The 55-inch Switchable Mirror Display can show Full HD advertising information and images.  Its touch function allows users to freely choose the content they wish to view.  Users can browse the latest merchandise information during clothes fitting when the panel is switched to a stylish full-length mirror function. This mirror display application can make the best use of shop space and become a critical facility in apparel outlets or boutiques.

Moreover, AUO will also showcase its 65-inch Hybrid Transparent Display for smart vending machines. Its panel transparency and color saturation can be adjusted based on store owners' demands for highlighting product features to make the multimedia contents displayed clearer, vivid and colorful. This Hybrid Transparent Display also has built-in touch functions and interactive games. It could be further applied to displays of home appliances in the future, or shop windows. It is a fine example of innovative display technology leading the trend for showcase display.

Touch Total Solutions provide lighter and slimmer display modules

AUO has made an accomplishment in the development of touch total solutions. AUO's exclusive One Glass Solution Touch integrates the cover lens and sensor glass into the ultra slim and light modules. The direct bonding manufacturing process has simplified the production procedure of the integration of touch structure, panel and backlight to provide slimmer and lighter, high optical and anti-glare performance modules. In addition, AUO will introduce its 11.6-inch display panel for ultra notebook application with OGS Touch and AHVA technology. The thickness of its touch panel is only 0.7mm making it much thinner and lighter.

More exhibition highlights include: AUO's in-cell touch panel technology and curved displays for slot machines which will be showcased at China Information Technology Expo (CITE) 2013. Mr. Paul Peng, President of AUO, also the Chairman of Taiwan Display Union Association (TDUA), will give a speech titled "Improving Cooperation for Complementary Advantages", on April 11, 2013 at Flat Panel Display Industry Forum.

* Based on the available market research information as of April 8, 2013.

AUO photos can be downloaded at the Company's website:

http://auo.com/?sn=479&lang=en-US

Any use of photographs must cite the source thereof is from AU Optronics Corporation.

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ABOUT AU OPTRONICS

AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is one of the world's leading providers of optoelectronic solutions. AUO offers a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications ranging from 1.5 inches to 65 inches. Based on its profound R&D and manufacturing experience, AUO continues to develop advanced display technologies of the next generation. AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in 2008. By building a vertically integrated high-efficiency solar value chain, AUO provides its customers with high-efficiency solar solutions. AUO now houses a staff of more than 45,000 employees, with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Czech and Slovakia. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO has also been named to Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012. AUO generated NT$378.5 billion (US$ 13.03 billion) in sales revenue in 2012. For more information, please visit AUO.com.

* 2012 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD29.05 : USD 1.

Safe Harbour Notice

AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on March 15th, 2013.

                                         

SOURCE AU Optronics Corporation