[CES 2022] LG adds larger, smaller OLED TVs for 2022, hails newcomers

LG Electronics said Tuesday it plans to roll out new self-lit television models that come in both the largest and smallest size in the world, as early as March this year. The latest strategy appears to have been laid out to solidify its industry leadership amid dozens of electronics rivals making their TV market entries with organic light-emitting diode displays.

The company, which ships over 60 percent of OLED TVs globally, showcased the world‘s largest 97-inch OLED TV model, and at the same time, the world’s smallest 42-inch OLED TVs to complement its existing large-screen TV range, currently available from 48 to 88 inches.

Rolling out both the smallest and biggest OLED TVs simultaneously is a move to meet growing customer demand for premium TVs, Park Hyoung-sei, president of home entertainment at LG Electronics, said in a virtual press conference held in Seoul.

“Sizewise, we are unequivocally ready to roll out the full-range lineup for OLED TVs,” Park told reporters.

In particular, the company has been paying attention to growing market demand for an extra TV at home beyond that in the living room, Park said, pointing to TVs for a smaller room or for gaming purposes.

“We‘ve noticed that more consumers prefer to go for the premium lineup for a second TV at home, and that a booming gaming market fueled gamers’ desire to use OLED screens,” Park said. “I don‘t think customers looking for 42-inch TVs would overlap with those of 48-inch screens.”

Moreover, the new premium LG TVs for 2022 will operate on LG’s alpha 9 Gen 5 intelligent processor for brighter screens than its predecessors, and enable users to mirror content from one TV to another without additional set-top boxes through a new function called Room to Room Share. Also, LG‘s OLED lineup has been certified by product testing agency Intertek for 100 percent color fidelity and 100 percent color volume.

While LG Electronics added new features to outrun rivals in its 11th year since inception in 2012, more OLED panel adopters across the world are coming along in hopes of taking advantage of the screen’s perfect black and infinite contrast. The number of OLED TV makers surged to nearly threefold to 20 in 2021, from seven as of 2017, according to LG.

“In the past decade of taking the lead, LG Electronics has pioneered and spearheaded the OLED TV market, and now OLED panels have inarguably become mainstream in the advanced TV scene,” Park said.

“More TV set makers’ OLED adoption is a testament that OLED panels have won consumer trust, and that LG has made the right decision (to focus on OLED TVs).”

As for industry rumors that Samsung Electronics might soon start manufacturing OLED TVs, Park said it would lead to an enrichment of the OLED landscape.

Traditionally considered a detractor of the OLED technology, Samsung has in the past few months been reportedly in talks with OLED panel maker LG Display to address a supply shortage, but neither has confirmed the notion thus far. Samsung has honed its own advanced panel technologies ranging from quantum-mini LED and micro LED to quantum-dot OLED.

“We would definitely welcome Samsung Electronics‘ participation in the OLED camp, as long as it really happens,” Park said.

“We‘ve seen 20 major TV makers join the OLED camp to adopt OLED technology for TV sets, and I would see Samsung’s move as a positive sign that OLED technology is receiving acknowledgment in a broader sense, given the potential of the OLED ecosystem to expand further.”

According to Park, the new OLED TV lineup for 2022 including its brand new models will roll out starting in March in South Korea and North America, followed by a worldwide launch in April. The price for each new model for 2022 has yet to be determined.

The announcement was made in Seoul, as the Korean electronics giant minimized its on-site presence at the world’s largest tech show CES 2022.

By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)