LG bets on ultra definition, OLED TVs to become global leader

BERLIN ― LG Electronics may be behind Samsung Electronics in the global television market at the moment.

But this will all change over the next two to three years as LG bets that its premium 84-inch ultra-definition and 55-inch organic light-emitting diode TVs will be its new growth drivers and give the company a competitive edge over its rival.

Kwon Hee-won, CEO of LG’s home entertainment business, said he is positive that the market is ready for big ultra-definition TVs, and that there will soon be programs “up-scaled” to fit on the big screen, contrary to Samsung’s assessment that a lack of content would hamper sales.

Speaking to the press, Kwon said that when full HD TVs came out, content for them was then inexistent but immediately came out following the introduction of such TVs.

Kwon also pointed out that Japanese companies such as Sony were developing UD TVs, and Japanese broadcaster NHK even pilot-tested UD broadcasting during the London Olympics.

LG has sold 70 UD TV sets in one month through limited pre-orders, which evidently shows that the market already exists.

Kwon’s remarks came after Yoon Boo-keun, president of Samsung’s consumer electronics division, said that it would take up to 10 years for consumers to embrace UD, downplaying the significance of its rival’s development of the world’s first UD TV.

Yoon said that “killer apps and quality content” were key to developing TVs, adding that Samsung was not concerned about LG’s smart TV alliances with strategic partners and other developments.

Kwon reiterated that the UD era would soon come, followed by appropriate content, and said LG would roll out OLED TVs ahead of Samsung in the fourth quarter of this year. Samsung has also indicated that it will mass produce OLED TVs in the fourth quarter.

The world’s two largest Korean TV makers have been racing to show the world their unique OLED TV technologies, claiming superiority over each other in the market.

LG is also pinning hopes on its 3-D smart TVs to become the world’s TV leader over Samsung.

By Park Hyong-ki, Korea Herald correspondent
(hkp@heraldcorp.com)