LG Unveils the World’s First Rollable TV

LG has proven to define the next generation in home entertainment by unveiling the world’s first Rollable TV at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The South Korean tech giant had earlier teased the world with a prototype after introducing the thin wallpaper TV in 2018. Now, the Rollable TV is expected to hit the shelves later in the year with prices yet to be announced. 

The Rollable TV is designed to appear when you want it, and hide away from view when not in use. The TV is flexible and rolls up and down its base, which is a brushed aluminium casing partly covered in a quality wool speaker designed by Kvadrat. The base is also a housing unit for an impressive high fidelity, front firing 4.2 channel, 100W Dolby Atmos sound bar. The display is a 65-Inch 4K OLED panel delivering AI-powered images run on LG’s Gen 2 Alpha 9 processor. 

The TV R opens up new possibilities with its three viewing modes – Zero View, Line view and Full View. In Full View the entire 65 inches if the panel sticks out from the base, which is typically for normal viewing. For Line View, only about a fourth of the panel is visible onto which there are smart home gadget apps like the clock, weather and music controls for a minimalistic interaction. In Zero View, the screen is completely hidden away, but users can still enjoy music and audio content via the soundbar. The system has Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s HomeKit support for voice commands and smart interfacing. 

According to tests on the prototype, the Rollable TV is capable of up to 50,000 scrolling cycles, with regular home use, this gives it decades in lifespan. LG assures users that the flexibility of the display does not in any way compromise the quality of the image. 

LG is confident that this design is a game-changer in the TV’s user experience, and it is easy to see why. As consumers demand larger screens for a more immersive visual treatment, this creates the problem of the dominant display panel overlooking the living room even when not in use. The TV has dictated the layout and position of living room furniture such as sofas and TV stands for decades. With this innovation, LG aims at liberating the flexibility and versatility of the living space. 

The idea is for the TV to have a minimal presence in the room. It can be placed just about anywhere without permanently obstructing the view, movement or light. The base left behind by the retracted TV is elegantly crafted and unassuming making for an excellent addition in the living room.