A hallmark of CES is that companies always announce bigger TVs to make up for the fact that there hasn’t been any real innovation since the introduction of Smart TVs a few years ago. That trend continues this year as LG has just revealed details of its latest wallet-destroying television.
LG announced today that its 55-inch OLED TV will begin shipping to the U.S. in March of this year. The television is razor thin at only 0.16 inches, and is incredibly light at 22 pounds. The OLED display also provides the best image quality currently available on televisions.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to make this announcement at the start of the new year because we believe that OLED will usher in a whole new era of home entertainment,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG’s Home Entertainment Company. “Not since color TV was first introduced 60 years ago has there been a more transformational moment. When high definition TV was first introduced 15 years ago, the public’s reaction was ‘wow!’ but when customers see our razor-thin OLED TV for the first time, they’re left speechless. That’s a clear indicator as any that OLED TV is much more than just an incremental improvement to current television technology.”
It’s hard to say how popular OLED TVs will be in the coming year especially with its high price of entry. Engadget reports that the 55-inch model will retail for $12,000 while there’s no price set for the 65-inch model just yet. It’s also unlikely to do well in its first year because most consumers are presumably happy with their LED televisions.
For those who can afford the television, have fun being the envy of your neighbors. While you’re at it, you might as well pick up Lenovo’s 27-inch tablet just to show off.