- LG is using CES to show how its transparent OLEDs could be used in the real world.
- It envisions a “Smart Bed” where a transparent TV could sit at your feet.
- It’s still not clear when you might see this in mobile devices.
LG Display is still eager to make transparent OLED displays a practical reality, and it’s using CES 2021 to show just what might be possible. The company has designed a concept “Smart Bed” that would use a 55-inch transparent screen as a TV that effectively becomes invisible.
The transparent TV would sit in a frame you could place at the foot of your bed or even move around the home. You’d just have to press a button to have the transparent OLED rise from the frame and keep you entertained without backlights (or a background) interfering with the experience. Cinematic Sound OLED would pump out audio without requiring separate speakers.
LG also envisions using the 55-inch transparent OLED for restaurants (when they’re safe again) where you could watch TV while watching your chef prepare your meal. It would even be useful for subway trains, giving you a view outside at the same time as you check the route map or the weather.
Like LG’s earlier see-through OLEDs, the 55-inch model would thrive on a high 40% transparency level compared to ‘just’ 10% for LCDs. It could serve as a window replacement in smart homes or even self-driving cars, the company said.
Related: LG Display talks foldable and transparent screens
The company didn’t say if or when you’d see a transparent TV or similar products on store shelves, although there was reportedly “growing demand” from various industries.
Just don’t get your hopes up for a phone with a transparent OLED display, at least not yet. While transparent phones are nothing new (Sony Ericsson’s 2009-era Xperia Pureness is one example), a modern smartphone would need a way to hide the electronics behind a large screen while delivering comparable battery life and features. For now, at least, your phone will block your view of the outside world.
