Transparent TV technology is not entirely new, but companies have struggled to convince consumers due to high selling prices. (Photo`123RF)
The king of living rooms around the world, the large flat-screen TV, could soon end up in the attic: South Korean electronics giants Samsung and LG are now betting on transparent, minimalist and connected objects.
“How about a screen that gives you space back?” an LG executive said Monday during a press presentation of the Signature OLED T, which is expected to launch later this year.
“Welcome to a world that goes beyond the perfect screen,” he said the day before the official start of the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) technology trade fair in Las Vegas in the western United States.
The new screen, presented with great fanfare, is “virtually invisible when switched off,” emphasizes the company, and thus fits perfectly into the décor of the room in which it is located.
This TV resembles a transparent rectangular box and, once turned on, offers the ability to watch television programs in high definition.
By playing with transparency, it is also possible to display realistic images of the surroundings – flames, swimming fish, etc. – to turn it into an independent decorative object.
Transparent TV technology is not entirely new, but companies have struggled to convince consumers due to high selling prices.
Samsung, in turn, presented its own screen, also transparent like glass, but equipped with light-emitting diodes (LED) for high-resolution images.
“Transparent light-emitting diodes are poised to redefine visual experiences and make the line between content and reality virtually impossible to see,” Samsung said in a press release.
Big screens have long been the stars of CES, an annual must-see event for the industry.
The Chinese electronics giant TCL, for its part, introduced a number of more conventional models, including a “maxi-size” television with 115 inches (292 centimeters diagonal).
“On and beyond the screen”
Unsurprisingly, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) is dominating CES this year, with every major TV manufacturer in attendance taking notice, with advances made possible by electronic chips embedded in screens.
“In a highly connected era, it is no longer just about providing high-quality visual experiences,” said SW Yong, manager at Samsung Electronics, in a press release. “Screens should enrich our lives both on screen and off.”
Industry giants have touted the virtues of AI in improving images, such as by instantly converting an old classic into a modernized format as if it had been restored, or by integrating viewer preferences into movie recommendations.
AI is also being used to improve video game capabilities, and enthusiasts are expecting more and more immersion.
The latest range of Hisense TVs therefore includes devices with AI that recognize the content on the screen and adjust in real time to improve the clarity of the image and the immersion effect.
“As expensive as a house”
According to SW Yong, the AI built into Samsung TVs is also designed to act as a control point for all connected devices throughout the home.
“We're going to see TVs become the command center of the home, beyond just broadcasting entertainment,” said Jessica Boothe, research director at the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES.
For LG CEO William Cho, the world is at a “historic turning point” thanks to AI, a change he wants to be a part of by leveraging data collected by the sensors of hundreds of millions of connected devices around the world to recognize behavioral patterns and provide insights, he explains.
“TVs still take up a large portion of living room space,” Avi Greengart, an analyst at specialist firm Techsponential, told AFP. “There is competition now,” he emphasizes. “Sure, it costs as much as your house, but it’s really cool.”