14 DAY TRIAL // LG probably didn't want to overwhelm bank accounts by adding 3D support on top of the curved design of its upcoming OLED TVs. At $13,515 / €10,357, the displays already cost a fortune.
It is probably part of why the company isn't hurrying to send the displays all around the world. Instead, it will use its home market of South Korea as a testing platform of sorts.
Pre-orders should have already become possible there, but shipments will only start in June.
A 55-inch set will be the first model out, and will measure 4.3 mm in thickness (0.16 inches). The price mentioned above is the equivalent of 15 million won and overtakes the tag of normal 55-inch LG OLED TVs by $3,600 / €2,759.
No plans exist, at this time, for releases in the US, Europe, Japan or anywhere else. Given how much time it took the non-curved 55-inch OLED TV to come to market (one year between the introduction in January 2012 and the sales in January 2013), it will be a while.
“Our Curved OLED TV is not only the proof of LG's unmatched leadership in next-generation displays but also a testament to LG's commitment to bringing to market the most exciting TV technology available today,” said Havis Kwon, president and CEO of LG's Home Entertainment Company.
The OLED TV will bear the name EA9800 and will provide an “IMAX-like” viewing experience in the home.
It weighs 17 kilograms (37.48 pounds) and employs WRGB technology for clear and vivid images. WRGB adds a fourth pixel to the color spectrum, or rather a white sub-pixel.
Combined with the Color Refiner, it leads to a “greater tonal enhancement” and, thus, images that are “more vibrant and natural.”
The press release said that “Timing and pricing [..] in markets outside of Korea will be announced in the months ahead.” That can mean anything from before June to a few good weeks afterwards.