[IFA2022] Samsung Electronics "Focusing on Lifestyle TVs... No Plans to Apply 'Bendable'"

IFA 2022 Press Conference on the 4th

MicroLED Application Timing is "..."

Jangil Jeong, Executive Director, Next Generation Planning Group, Visual Display Business Division, Samsung Electronics. (Photo by Samsung Electronics)

[Berlin (Germany) = Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok]

"The most comfortable viewing distance from the TV is about 80cm. I think a curvature (R) of 1000R (the degree of curve of a circle with a radius of 1000mm) or less is good for gaming and not bad for other content. We are not considering introducing a 'bendable' feature that folds and unfolds."

Jung Gang-il, Executive Director and Head of Next Generation Planning Group at Samsung Electronics Visual Display Business Division, stated on the 4th (local time) at IFA 2022, Europe's largest electronics exhibition held in Berlin, Germany, that there are no plans to produce the 'bendable' products recently popular among gamers. As the battlefield shifts beyond large-sized TVs to gaming TVs, it is noteworthy that Samsung does not consider the 'bendable' feature ambitiously introduced by LG Electronics. Recently, major electronics companies have been showcasing products with a curvature of 1000R or less, which is considered a higher technical level due to the greater degree of curvature.

When asked about the screen ratio of the Odyssey Ark, Executive Director Jung said, "We have reviewed it internally a lot, but actually, if you stand '32:9' vertically, the width is too narrow, so you have to look at several small screens." He added, "So, when '16:9' is placed vertically, about three small screens fit perfectly, which seems to be an appropriate level to present to users." Earlier, Samsung Electronics launched the world's first 55-inch curved gaming monitor, the 'Odyssey Ark,' on the 16th of last month. It features screen sizes ranging from 27 inches to 55 inches and screen ratios from 16:9 to 32:9 depending on the game type. It is the world's first 55-inch display with a 1000R curvature. It supports 4K resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a GTG response time of 1ms (0.001 seconds). This product is the first 55-inch gaming monitor to implement a 165Hz high refresh rate.

Executive Director Jung showed a rather lukewarm response to the 'folding and unfolding' feature itself. When asked whether they would develop this feature, he said, "When we made curved TVs in the past, we considered the 'bendable' TV concept, so it has been a continuous consideration. There are pros and cons when the screen is folded or unfolded." When the press asked again if they were considering developing the folding and unfolding function, he replied, "No."

Executive Director Jung made it clear that future management will focus on 'lifestyle TVs.' Regarding recent TV market trends, he diagnosed, "If until now, progress was made in 'hardware' such as HD, 2HD, 4K, and 8K, the demands for TVs are changing to how to respond to customer preferences such as smart functions, gaming, remote work, fitness, Internet of Things (IoT), social communication, and interior design." He added, "We are providing services in the 'Gaming Hub' that allow users to enjoy not only console or PC games but also cloud games," and "We are also developing devices that reflect the behavior of remote access to PCs via screens without a PC while working from home."

Although the immediate sales share is not large, Executive Director Jung explained that it is meaningful in terms of opening new markets. He said that new lifestyle TV products will be unveiled at next year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). However, he showed a cautious response regarding applying micro LED, called the 'ultimate technology,' to lifestyle TVs. Executive Director Jung said, "MicroLED is a very special technology," and added, "We are reviewing it internally, and we hope the day will come soon when we can showcase it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.