LG Electronics Inc unveiled two new giant organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs with ultra-high-definition screens yesterday, sticking with its strategy of using the exceptionally expensive OLED display technology.
The South Korean company said it would sell 65-inch OLED TVs starting next month, in South Korea, Europe and North America.
A 77-inch model is set to hit shelves later in the year.
Photo: AFP
While other major TV makers are pushing to make ultra-high- definition TVs mainstream, they use LCD screens. The super-high- resolution picture, also known as 4K, uses four times more pixels than regular high-definition televisions.
Making ultra-high-definition quality TVs with OLED screens remains costly. LG’s 65-inch model is set to cost 12 million won (US$11,765). Other types of ultra-high-definition TVs sell for less than US$3,000.
OLED displays feature deeper color saturation and a sharper image quality than LCDs. However, for years, its cost and high production error rate prevented the technology from becoming popular.
LG said it is committed to OLED technology because the cost is set to come down and its advanced screen could eventually replace LCD screens. It forecast that OLED TV sales would overtake LCD TV sales “within a few years.”
“OLED is where we must head next after PDP and LCD. It is a matter of time,” LG’s TV business division president Ha Hyun-hwoi told reporters.
LG’s aggressive bet on OLED TVs is in contrast with its rival Samsung Electronics Co. After rolling out a 55-inch curved TV that uses an OLED display last year, Samsung has not announced an upgrade to its OLED TV for this year.
Samsung uses OLED technology mostly for small devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers.
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