LG Brings Its Ultra HD 4K OLED TV To The U.S.
LG Electronics begins selling 4K Ultra HD OLED TVs in the United States. LG's new 65-inch class (64.5 inches measured diagonally) 4K OLED model 65EC9700 are the first to combine Ultra HD's intense detail and OLED's high contrast and color accuracy. LG Electronics USA chose Southern California as the consumer launch pad for the 65EC9700 4K OLED TV, teaming up with high-end retailer Video & Audio Center to introduce the Future of TV to U.S. consumers for the first time at a VIP in-store event tonight in Santa Monica. Available for sale today at $9,999, the 65EC9700 will be available nationwide later this month.
With LG's WRGB OLED technology each pixel is made up of four sub-pixels, which equals roughly 33 million sub-pixels working to produce the lifelike color and level of detail. Since no backlight is required, OLED can also provide an infinite contrast ratio.
Also unique to OLED is its subtly curved, thin design – less than a quarter inch, or the depth of just a few credit cards at the thinnest point. Due to LG's frameless, bezel-less "Cinema Screen" design, the picture on the screen virtually stretches from edge-to-edge. The new 65-inch class 4K OLED TV is wall mountable.
LG's 4K OLED TV, with four times the resolution of Full HD, can display native 4K content as it incorporates new technology standards – such as the latest HDMI interface and H.265 decoding – capable of handling Ultra HD programming, whether streamed over the Internet or playing from a USB or HDMI source. (Model 65EC9700 exceeds the Consumer Electronics Association's new requirements for "Connected 4K Ultra HDTVs.")
What's more, LG's Tru-4K Engine Pro uses a dual-chip, 6-step process to upscale HD content into 4K.
The LG Smart TV+ webOS platform offers a new interface with quick transitions between broadcast TV, streaming services and external device. Those features were developed around the core concepts of Simple Connection, Simple Switching and Simple Discovery and are accessible via one click on the "launcher bar" menu.
Optimized for 4K streaming, the webOS platform features recommendation capabilities to help consumers sift through its content options, which include streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus and more. New Ultra HD programming coming this fall will include the "Cheek to Cheek LIVE!," concert featuring icons Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, the world's first concert broadcast to be streamed in Ultra HD, sponsored by LG.
In related news, LG Electronics and LG Display alliance have set out on a joint counterattack to China’s ultra high-definition TV market.
LG Electronics had recently released 4K OLED TVs in China just in time for 'National Day,' the largest holiday in China, and began extensive marketing.
In addition to LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics and a number of Chinese companies exhibited their OLED TVs at the IFA 2014 last month. However, it is yet to be known whether or not these companies will promote OLED TV release swiftly.
In related news, LG's upcoming call-capable smartwatch in development will run on webOS, the software platform used in the company's Smart TVs.
Earlier today the company teased a software development kit for webOS-based smartwatches (that site has since been taken offline):