Back in 2018, the launch of rollable TVs captured everyone's attention. A few years back, LG made its rollable TV accessible in the United States, but it has sparked concerns about its price and long-term viability.
You've probably seen one of these TVs in a movie or at a fancy house. Just picture yourself standing in a bedroom, pressing a button, and the TV appearing out of thin air. This is the basic idea of flexible TVs. You can keep it in a compact tube instead of tucking it away in a closet or beneath a bed. Likewise, the speaker stand that the rollable screen fits into eliminates the need for elaborate concealment methods.
Rollable TVs employ OLED, which use an organic structure to build pixels to form images. OLED does not need additional illumination, distinguishing it from other TVs, such as QLED and UHD.
The Current Landscape of Rollable TVs
OLED TVs and other displays are rising in popularity, and the technology that powers them is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Here's how the current landscape of these TVs is looking:
Industry Leaders
Many players are getting in on the rollable display technology. At Display Week 2023, Visionox, located in China, showcased various OLED displays and cutting-edge technology. Likewise, prototypes of LG exhibit's next OLED screens were in exhibition during Display Week 2023. The business showed off its 77-inch 8K Meta (microlens-array) panel, which has already been released to the public but never ceases to amaze thanks to its stunning picture quality.
At SID DisplayWeek 2023, TCL CSoT demonstrated its dedication to OLED inkjet printing with several exciting new demos. First, CSoT demonstrated a foldable (with a bending radius of 25 mm) 8K (7680x4320) 65" TV screen created using the company's newest inkjet technology. The display has a refresh rate of 120 hertz, a reaction time of less than one millisecond, and a peak brightness of 800 nits.
BOE wasn't left behind either, and they presented a 15-inch, 2560x1600 rollable OLED screen. The display could roll outwards at a radius of 10 mm to convert from a full 15" 16:9 display to a more manageable 13.6" 24:9 display.
Still, at Display Week 2023, Samsung Display showcased various OLED technologies. The company's Sensor OLED Display seems to be the most groundbreaking innovation; it's an OLED with an embedded sensor that can measure blood pressure, heart rate, and stress level (all by reading the user's fingerprint).
The Sensor OLED panel can conduct its sensing capabilities thanks to organic photodiodes (OPDs) that detect light and pass it throughout the panel. According to Samsung, the OPD detects the light reflected to the panel from the OLEDs and translates it into health data when the blood vessels in the finger constrict and relax.
Present Applications
Due to the high cost, the market for rollable TVs will likely begin as a tiny subset of the interior design industry. You can conceal this TV by folding it up. This feature of hiding it away while not in use is also a significant selling point. In addition, you can easily integrate this space-saving, rollable TV into any room's decor, from beds to desks. This sort of technology would enable using incredibly huge screens without being invasive.
Luxury OLED models are more lucrative than liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs because of their higher retail pricing, which would lead to an increase in the usage of OLED for premium TVs such as rollable TVs. Since this is a premium niche market, the producers aim to attract an affluent clientele by boasting about the many certifications they have earned. Likewise, to demonstrate that it reduces hazardous ingredients, creates fewer air pollutants, and is simple to recycle, LG Signature OLED R employs an OLED panel certified by the Swiss organization Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS).
Customers may choose from various high-priced rollable TVs, allowing them to redefine their lifestyle and make a statement about who they are. Furthermore, the visual quality is so high that it makes watching any media, from sports to movies to video games, seem more real. As the industry is only starting, various innovations will come up based on past experiences, which will ultimately help the market grow. While LG offers a 65-inch rollable TV, consumers anticipate that other companies will follow suit with bigger models. These elements will propel the rollable TV market growth during the predicted horizon.
Notably, the LG Signature OLED TV R debuted at CES 2019. Its rollable 3-millimeter OLED display is the "R" in its name, and it rises from a tiny rectangular body at the device's base. It is a sight to see and address an issue with televisions in general: they are unsightly when not in use. LG claims it can endure being folded up 50,000 times without showing signs of wear.
The Business Potential of Rollable TVs
Rollable OLED TVs are a relatively recent innovation swiftly gaining users' appeal. OLED TVs that you can roll up are a popular alternative to standard flat screens because of their portability and convenience. In addition to their novel appearance, rollable OLED TVs have several additional advantages that make them a good choice for anybody shopping for a new TV.
The worldwide market for rollable TVs was worth $219 million in 2022, and it's projected to expand at a CAGR of 36.05% between 2023 and 2032. By 2032, the market should be worth $4,758.06 million.
Future Outlook
The simple solution is financial gain. For a meager $100,000, you can get LG's rollable TV, a 65-inch 4K OLED abomination with three form factors, including a full-scale screen and a nicely contained smart speaker. The product's target market is consumers who can afford the LG Signature OLED R and want to give off a futuristic vibe.
It's hardly surprising that Samsung and TCL passed on rollable screens because of the high cost, even though LG, a company known for its high-end products, only offers one such device. For such firms, foldable displays were a less expensive and more practical method to reach the same tech-savvy audience interested in rollable OLED. As long as consumers don't want rollable TVs, there is no motivation to develop more advanced models until production costs drop.
However, there is still LG's stretch-screen smartphone. There is hope for a flexible future in technology if the business can deliver its promise of ultrathin screens that consumers can drape across whole rooms.
Diversifying Applications
A flexible OLED TV represents a significant technological advancement in the television industry. It has a lot of perks and functions that regular TVs don't have. There are numerous reasons to acquire a rollable OLED TV, including superior image quality and realistic viewing experiences. Additionally, these TVs feature energy economy and a space-saving design. These TVs are a great buy for anybody who wants the finest possible display experience because of their future-proof technology, longevity, and enhanced value. As this technology develops, you may anticipate that rollable OLED TVs will have even more interesting capabilities and advantages.
Are rollable TVs the future?
For now, only the rich can afford a rollable TV, but the question remains: will these devices become affordable soon? The concept of a rollable TV has several appealing features, but more refinement is necessary before it can be widely adopted. Whether or not rollable TVs become ubiquitous or remain a luxury item, the technology underlying them is fascinating. The potential to join folding glass with OLED displays has sparked a fascination that won't soon fade.
