LG’s new Signature OLED T transparent screen presented to the press during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, United States, January 8, 2024 (AFP/Glenn CHAPMAN)
The king of living rooms around the world, the large flat-screen television could soon end up in attics: South Korean electronics giants Samsung and LG are now banking on transparent, minimalist and connected objects.
“How about a screen that gives you space?” said an LG executive on Monday during a press presentation of the Signature OLED T, which should be released later this year.
“Welcome to a world that goes beyond the perfect screen,” he said, the day before the official launch, Tuesday, of the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) technology show in Las Vegas, in the west the United States.
The new screen, presented with great fanfare, is “practically invisible when it is turned off”, points out the company, and can thus blend perfectly with the decor of the room in which it is located.
Resembling a transparent rectangular box, this television offers, as soon as it is switched on, the viewing of TV programs in high definition.
But it is also possible, by playing with transparency, to display realistic ambient images – flames, swimming fish, etc. – to make it a decorative object in its own right.
Transparent TV technology is not entirely new, but companies have so far struggled to convince consumers due to high selling prices.
For its part, Samsung presented its own screen, also as transparent as glass, but equipped with light-emitting diodes (LED) for high-definition images.
“Transparent light-emitting diodes are poised to redefine visual experiences, making the line between content and reality virtually impossible to discern,” Samsung said in a statement.
Large screens have long been the stars of CES, a must-see annual event for the industry.
The Chinese electronics giant TCL, for its part, unveiled a series of more conventional models, including a “maxi size” television of 115 inches (292 centimeters diagonal).
– “On and beyond the screen” –
Samsung transparent screens on display during the Samsung First Look preview, ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, United States, January 7, 2024 (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
Unsurprisingly, the theme of artificial intelligence (AI) is dominating CES this year, with all the major TV manufacturers present highlighting it, with advances made possible by electronic chips embedded in screens.
“In an ultra-connected era, it’s no longer just about providing quality visual experiences,” notes SW Yong, manager at Samsung Electronics, in a press release. “Screens should enhance our lives both on and beyond the screen.”
Industry giants have touted the merits of AI to improve imagery, for example by instantly converting an old classic into a modernized format, as if it were restored, or by integrating viewer preferences into movie recommendations. programs.
AI is also being used to enhance the capabilities of video games, with enthusiasts expecting ever more immersion.
The latest range of Hisense televisions thus includes devices equipped with AI which, recognizing the content on the screen, adjusts in real time to improve the clarity of the image and the immersion effect.
– “As expensive as a house” –
Samsung’s transparent OLED display on display at the Consumer Electronics Show technology fair in Las Vegas, United States, January 7, 2024 (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
According to SW Yong, the AI built into Samsung TVs is also designed as a control point for all connected devices throughout the home.
“We will see televisions become the command center of the home, beyond just broadcasting entertainment programs,” says 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 transformation he wants to join by exploiting data collected by the sensors of hundreds of millions of connected devices used around the world to detect patterns of behavior and provide insights, he explains.
“TVs still occupy a large part of the surface area of the living room,” Avi Greengart, analyst at the specialist firm Techsponential, told AFP. “There is competition now,” he emphasizes. “Sure, it costs as much as your house, but it’s really cool.”
© 2024 AFP
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