LG Display to showcase 18-inch rollable OLED at CES

LG Display’s 18-inch rollable OLED prototype is seen in this file photo. The company said Monday it will showcase the rollable OLED, which can be rolled up to a radius of three centimeters, at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. / Courtesy of LG Display

By Lee Min-hyung

LAS VEGAS ― LG Display said Monday that it plans to showcase its next-generation organic light-emitting display (OLED) products at the world’s largest technology tradeshow.

At CES 2016, which starts Wednesday, the company is set to captivate visitors by unveiling a prototype of the world’s first 18-inch rollable OLED which can be rolled up to a curvature of three centimeters, the company said.

It will also unveil 55-inch paper-thin OLED TVs and 65-inch concave, convex OLEDs at its booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) during the four-day tech fair.

Rollable OLEDs have drawn keen interest in the display industry in recent years, as the technology ― if commercialized ― will allow them to be carried around and install displays wherever they go.

Expectations were that LG Display, the world’s largest display panel manufacturer partnered with LG Electronics, may showcase huge rollable OLED TVs at the upcoming fair, as the company had already unveiled a prototype of an 18-inch rollable OLED in 2014.

At the upcoming fair, the company said it will also introduce displays for automobiles in a move to meet rising demand for infotainment devices.

“The move is part of our efforts to establish a strong foothold in the rapidly growing market for OLEDs as well as auto parts and signs,” said LG Display CEO and Vice Chairman Han Sang-beom. “LG Display, as a display market leader, is seeking to strengthen our position with our differentiated products.”

In its auto zone, it will unveil a 25-inch waterfall LCD and a 10.3-inch display with in-cell touch technology, allowing users to touch a screen with gloves on, the company said.

The in-cell touch technology has been mainly used for smartphones or tablets, but the company aims to show how it applies the technology to displays for laptops or 23-inch monitors at its booth.

Under the theme of “Your Imagination, Our Innovation,” the company is also planning to underline the importance of OLEDs for commercial use.

LG Display said it will showcase the S-shaped, 139-inch vertical tiling OLED in its commercial zone. It will also unveil stretched liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with an 86-inch, 58:9 aspect ratio, which the company says is optimized for retail stores, airports or guidance displays in public places.

The company will also publicize a video wall comprised of four 55-inch displays with the world’s thinnest bezel of 0.9 millimeters.