LG First in the World to Launch Sales of OLED TV

Award-winning LG OLED TV. Image credit: LG Electronics
Award-winning LG OLED TV. Image credit: LG Electronics
Award-winning LG OLED TV. Image credit: LG Electronics
Award-winning LG OLED TV. Image credit: LG Electronics

LG Electronics (LG) has announced that it will begin accepting pre-order for its eagerly-awaited 55-inch class WRGB OLED TV (model 55EM9700) in South Korea this month, expected to ship beginning next month. Availability of the groundbreaking next generation TV in other markets will be announced over the next several weeks.

The announcement of the launch comes just days before the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 where a pre-launch version of the TV last year was awarded “Best of Show.”

Over 1,400 LG retail stores in South Korea will be accepting orders starting January 3, with delivery expected to commence in the first week of February. The KRW 11 million (US$10,000) OLED TV is only 4mm thin and weighs less than 10 kilograms.

According to market research company DisplaySearch, the OLED segment is expected to grow to 7.2 million units by 2016. LG is ready to ramp up production to quickly take the lead in this growing segment.

Prior to its launch, LG’s OLED TV already impressed people all over the world. It was named Best of Show at CES 2012, and also won the coveted IDEA Award, conferred by the influential Industrial Designers Society of America.

Meanwhile, LG received the European Display Achievement 2012-2013 Award from the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA). And to cap it off, LG’s OLED received Korea’s Good Design President Award in October 2012.

[spoiler title=”Read official press release”]

LG BEGINS ROLLOUT OF EAGERLY ANTICIPATED OLED TV

LG Ushers in New Year as First Company to Launch Sales of OLED TV

Jan. 2, 2013 – LG Electronics (LG) announced today that it will begin accepting pre-orders for its eagerly-awaited 55-inch class (54.6-inch diagonal) WRGB OLED TV (Model 55EM9700) in South Korea this month with deliveries scheduled to begin next month.

Other markets where the revolutionary LG OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV will be available will be announced over the next several weeks along with their respective prices. The announcement comes just days before the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where an early version of the TV last year was awarded “Best of Show.”

More than 1,400 LG retail stores in South Korea will begin accepting orders from consumers for KRW 11 million (approximately US $10,000) TVs starting Jan. 3 with delivery to commence the first week of February. As the first and only company to announce availability of the next-generation TV technology, LG is prepared to ramp up quickly to take the lead in the OLED segment that is expected to grow to 7.2 million units by 2016, according to DisplaySearch.

“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.”

Only 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) thin and weighing less than 10 kilograms (22 pounds), LG’s OLED TVs produce astoundingly vivid and realistic pictures thanks to its superior WRGB technology. LG’s unique Four-Color Pixel system features a white sub-pixel, which works in conjunction with the conventional red, blue, green setup to create the perfect color output. LG’s exclusive Color Refiner delivers even greater tonal enhancement, resulting in images that are more vibrant and natural than anything seen before. The 55-inch OLED TV also offers an infinite contrast ratio, which maintains optimal contrast levels regardless of ambient brightness or viewing angle.

Even before its launch, LG’s OLED TV was turning heads all over the world. In addition to being named Best of Show at CES 2012, the influential Industrial Designers Society of America recognized the TV with a coveted IDEA Award.

Meanwhile, LG received the European Display Achievement 2012-2013 Award from the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA). And to cap it off, LG’s OLED received Korea’s Good Design President Award in October.

[/spoiler]

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Vernon
Vernon is the founder and chief editor of Vernonchan.com. A graphic designer by profession, he has a deep love for technology, cars, gadgets, food, and travel. He tweets too much and is also known as a caffeine bacterium ("life's too short for bad coffee"). Bleeds Blue (go Chelsea FC!) and considers BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo cars to have in the garage--hallmarks of a true petrolhead.