With foldable displays tipped to become more prevalent in the near future, quite a few manufacturers have begun experimenting with them. Not only are these display panel makers currently playing around with the concept, two of the largest display panel manufactures in the world, South Korean electronics giants Samsung and LG, reportedly already have their initial working prototypes. While Samsung has already showcased innovative technology like transparent displays at the IFA trade show in Berlin last year, it is the turn of its home grown rival, LG Electronics, to showcase its latest new innovation at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) event to be held at Las Vegas, Nevada, this week.
While the South Korean consumer electronics giant is believed to have a number of products up its sleeve to be showcased at the upcoming event, all attention will be on a foldable 30R 18-inch OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) panel that can apparently be rolled up like a newspaper. While Samsung already has applied for patents regarding such foldable displays, the company is yet to demonstrate a live, working prototype publicly thus far. So, a working display that fits the description might well be a bit of a coup for LG, as and when it is unveiled in public. Of course, LG has been experimenting with curved, bendable and flexible models for some time now, and has even launched a couple of smartphones with curved screens; namely, the G Flex and G Flex 2. While those devices may not have been best-sellers for the company, the multinational tech giant now seems eager to take things to the next level with its upcoming new offerings.
The small 18-inch foldable display, however, is not the only thing LG will have in store for consumers at the show. The company is also expected to show off it new range of large-screen 4K OLED television sets as well, with sizes ranging from 65-inches to 77-inches. The company will also reportedly showcase its first 8K TV model, the UH9800. For those wondering, 8K refers to the resolution of 7680 pixels by 2160 pixels, giving the display panel an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is the standard for most mainstream TV sets and smartphones as of today. LG will apparently also showcase a design concept 55-inch OLED TV that will be “paper-thin since the electric circuits are installed separately”. The company has also announced that it will be unveiling a 55-inch “double-sided” panel that will be able to display two different videos on its two sides.