LG introduces OLED TV that can roll up and disappear when you’re not watching it - Ars Technica

LG's OLED TV, unfolded.

LG
LG's OLED TV, partially folded.

LG

At its CES press conference today, LG outlined its entire TV lineup for 2019. We already went over the basic features and specs of LG's new OLED and LCD TVs late last week, and we also reported that the TVs will ship with Apple AirPlay support. But there was one notable TV that wasn't revealed until today: the LG Signature OLED TV R (65R9), which has a display that can roll up and disappear into its base when you're not using it.

Watch the video of LG's stage presentation to see the R in action, if you can stomach some intense marketing speak. Among other things, LG calls the TV "a revolutionary innovation that helps address the very human need for an aesthetically pleasing environment" and says it is "redefining space" to offer unprecedented levels of "immersion" and "a new level of space integration." Accordingly, it will "roll out the future" to consumers.

LG's rollable OLED TV presentation.

OK, so it's just a TV. And the R is not even a totally new concept; I saw an earlier prototype of a rollable OLED display back at CES 2009. But that display was 13-inches, had major limitations, and did not yet look like a consumer product. This time, we're looking at a full-featured, 65-inch TV that's actually coming to market this year.

LG says to expect picture quality on par with its just-announced 2019 4K OLED lineup. That means 120Hz and AI image processing using LG's new Alpha 9 Gen 2 CPU. The TV's base—the same one it rolls into—houses a 4.2-channel, 100-watt soundbar with Dolby Atmos support.

Additionally, the TV doesn't have to scroll all the way in. As seen in one of the images at the start of this article, it can fold down to what LG calls "Line View." This has five modes: music, clock, frame, mood, and home dashboard. Music offers an interface for playing music from the base. Clock shows the time, date, and weather. Frame displays a scrolling line of photos streamed from your smartphone, which is the mode in the photo above. The mood mode is for aesthetics, and home dashboard will allow access to some of LG's usual TV software features.

LG hasn't announced a price for the TV R yet, though TechCrunch reports that the company said it would cost more than the 8K TV announced last week—that TV's price hasn't been announced either, but given that the 8K LG will compete directly with Samsung's $15,000 8K offering, we're betting the rollable TV won't be within most people's reach. LG says the Signature OLED TV R will be available for purchase in the second half of 2019.

Listing image by LG

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