OK, I don't own a Sony OLED TV. And at today's prices and screen sizes I wasn't going to buy one! Apparently, I'm not alone. So Sony has decided to pull out of the OLED market.

But, with the way that this news came out, the announcement from Sony can only be interpreted as a black mark on OLED technology. That's too bad, since OLED was the hot topic at the Consumer Electronics Show for the previous two years. And if you've seen it, it's very clearly the best display technology out there - the technology of the future. There are only two reasons why OLED is not the technology of the present - cost and small display size.

But as is with much new technology, things are always expensive when you're on the cutting edge. LED and plasma is no longer cutting edge technology. LCD is now the mainstream. And to a certain extent, plasma is perceived of as the past.

Plasma and LCD each still hold on to their own benefits. LCD tends to be more energy efficient, inexpensive, and thinner. Plasma tends to offer a better contrast ratio, which many videophiles love.

But to the general market, it was very difficult to explain why OLED is worth a cost premium. Sony, failed to convey the message of OLED as a premium technology.

But more than that, Sony just screwed up. Present cost aside, OLED is better than both LCD and plasma technology.

OLED could (and should) still be the technology of the future. But what could Sony have done differently? And are there any opportunities for Sony's competitors? ...