LG's cutting edge rollable TV hits the market for US$87,000, hints at future smartphone or tablet applications

LG has long been at the forefront of flexible OLED panels. Back in 2013, the LG Flex smartphone was the first on the market to adopt a new form factor that leveraged a flexible P-OLED panel. It has continued developing the technology unveiling its most extreme implementation at CES 2019 in the form of its 65-inch Signature OLED R TV. The company announced today that it is finally available for sale starting in its home market of South Korea priced at around US$87,000.

It is a lot of money and the TV is clearly targeted at well-heeled early adopters. However, it does deliver a unique experience that no other TV on the market offers. The display can roll away into its base completely out of sight, or it can be partially rolled away to change the display aspect ratio -- for people who hate black bars on their screen, this is the expensive solution. The Kvadrat speaker cover tucked into the base can be had in one of four colors to suit the interior decor of each buyer's house.

There are hints that LG could be planning a smartphone-tablet hybrid using similar rollable display technology in the near future. It has filed patents for mobile devices with rollable displays and the launch of its flagship Signature OLED R TV suggests that it has perfected the technology. The stratospheric pricing of the TV, however, does raise concerns that any mobile device it launches in the near future with the technology will be expensive. Hopefully, like most things in tech, the price should come down in time.

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