LG to sell curved OLED TVs in South Korea

LG Electronics has announced that it will begin selling curved OLED TVs in South Korea, the first company to offer such a product to the public.

More than 1,400 LG retail stores in South Korea will begin taking orders today from customers for the premium TV, priced at KRW 15 million – £8,725.

The announcement makes LG the first and only company to commercialise the flat screen OLED TV, which began shipping to Korean customers in February, and is expected to give LG a ‘significant lead’ in the OLED segment that is predicted to grow to 7 million units by 2016, according to DisplaySearch.

At 4.3 millimeters thin and weighing 17 kilograms, the Curved OLED TV will offer ‘astoundingly vivid and realistic images’ as a result of its proprietary WRGB technology.

“Our Curved OLED TV is not only the proof of LG’s unmatched leadership in next-generation displays but also a testament to LG’s commitment to bringing to market the most exciting TV technology available today,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG’s Home Entertainment Company.

However, Ed Border, senior analyst for IHS Screen Digest is not convinced that the new model will improve the viewing experience substantially.

“There’s certain content which is great to see in different ways, but for a lot of what’s on TV seeing it curved is not necessarily going to improve the experience that much,” he said.

“But I think being curved is a good way of pushing the OLED technology to consumers and acting as a marketing tool.

“Looking forward, I think there will still be room for flatscreen TVs, especially if you are thinking of hanging an OLED screen on the wall or just want to buy a cheaper LCD set.”

Samsung showcased an OLED TV prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show in January alongside LG, though no further developments have been announced.