LG Display, the company’s display unit, is at the SID 2020 conference with no fewer than four flexible display concepts. That includes full- and medium-sized panels that unroll and stretch. But it reportedly also includes transparent displays and new takes on how folding screens might be used.
Now, not every concept on display is new. In fact, it could easily be argued that none of them are. LG has touted unrolling flexible television panels for years. The same can be said of its transparent display panels. And folding displays are already a hot item in the mobile world at the very least. But the new designs are all very clearly aimed at pushing the industry directly forward.
What is LG showing off at SID 2020?
Some of the best LG flexible display-related technology at this year’s SID 2020 event is seen in the “Unlimited Design Freedom Zone,” LG’s future-forward segment. As noted above, that’s not all entirely new. But the company is showing off a newly-updated version of its rollable TVs, this time in a 65-inch form factor. That rolls down from a box that’s presumably mounted on the consumer’s wall. And it can roll back out to get it out of the way when it’s not needed.
That same technology is being used in a much smaller, 12-inch panel too. That’s because LG is looking to push the new flexible display tech shown at SID 2020 into a much wider diversity of use cases. For instance, the smaller panels could be put on in-car infotainment offerings or included as part of a professional desktop setup.
Next up, transparent displays are nothing new for LG either. But the company is now reportedly looking more closely at real-world usability for the technology. That includes everything from smart mirrors and windows to furniture. For instance, the panels could be placed instead of glass on a wardrobe or hutch.
Last but not least, LG showcased a 13.3-inch foldable laptop-tablet hybrid. The dual-use device follows a similar vein to current folding smartphones but scales everything up to a size and design that would be better suited for productivity or other applications.
Will any of these concepts come to the real-world market?
SID 2020 serves as a great place to showcase new concepts centered around display technologies and designs. But, in this case, it may be safe to say these designs are more likely than others to crop up in real-world products. As noted above, LG has already made quite a lot of headway in terms of showcasing the technology in a plethora of products. So this is obviously something it is pouring significant time and resources into.
With that said, these are still effectively concept showcases. And that means that the news should be taken with a grain of salt. Because LG may decide never to release any of this for buyers to pick up.