CES 2024: LG debuts new transparent OLED TV
The LG Signature OLED T can switch from opaque to transparent and blend in with your living room at the touch of button
LG announced updates to its core OLED and QNED TV ranges ahead of CES but held something special back for its “Reinvent your future” press conference in Las Vegas.
The South Korean manufacturer’s keynote focused heavily on the role AI is playing in its products, but it was the unveiling of the brand’s new Signature OLED T that caught the eye.
It’s a wireless, transparent 4K TV designed to deliver the picture performance associated with the brand’s other OLEDs while seamlessly blending in with a room’s decor when necessary.
To do so, the Signature OLED T incorporates a contrast curtain that can be raised and dropped at the press of a button. Raising the curtain transforms the TV into one resembling a more traditional, opaque set, while dropping it reveals the transparent nature of the screen and whatever is going on behind it.
Meanwhile, information such as news alerts, weather updates and song titles can be displayed on what LG has described as a “T-Bar” along the lower section of the screen while it’s in transparency mode.
The TV operates completely wire-free via the LG Zero Connect box, which also accompanies the LG M3 OLED and transmits 4K images and audio to the TV wirelessly. It’s powered by an Alpha 11 AI processor, which LG says offers four times the AI performance of the Alpha 9 chips found in its 2023 OLEDs.
The Signature OLED T will only be available in a 77in screen size, although consumers do have the choice between standalone, against-the-wall or wall-mount options and can personalise the setup by adding floating shelves on either side of the screen.
LG hasn’t revealed anything about the pricing of the LG Signature OLED T, nor do we have any information about a potential release date. However, given the advanced technology and size of the screen involved, it’s likely going to be extremely expensive, so don’t expect transparent OLEDs to become the norm any time soon.
That said, LG isn’t the only manufacturer keen to push transparent TV technology. As well as unveiling its new Neo QLED and OLED ranges at CES, Samsung has also been showing off a transparent display, although its crystal-clear panel uses Micro LEDs rather than OLEDs and is more of a concept piece than a finalised product.
Transparent and wireless TVs may be an exciting innovation but will certainly be for the few rather than the many for several years to come, so in the meantime, head on over to our roundup of the best TVs and best TVs under £500 for an assortment of rather more affordable alternatives.