LG has unveiled the world’s first wireless, transparent OLED TV, named the Signature OLED T, at CES 2024. While there has been no confirmation of prices or release date yet, the OLED T will actually be available to buy, LG says.
After Samsung’s transparent micro-LED display was also unveiled at CES, LG has opted to reveal its own transparent TV, but thanks to its Zero Connect Box, the same box with LG’s 2024 wireless OLED TV the LG M4, the OLED T is wireless.
The Zero Connect Box manages all external connections and processing, thus eliminating the need for any cables or wires to connect to the T. TechRadar's Matt Bolton even got to try out the OLED T at CES, and apparently it feels like "living in the future".
In terms of specs, the Signature OLED T is a 77-inch screen (which is confirmed as the only size) that uses a transparent 4K OLED screen and uses the Zero Connext box for cable management. It’s also equipped with LG’s new Alpha 11 AI processor, which was unveiled alongside LG’s 2024 OLED TV lineup, and is also found in the LG M4 and LG G4.
The OLED T will also feature an Always-On-Display (AOD) feature, meaning anything displayed in transparent mode will appear to float and blend in with its surroundings to give a seamless display. There’s als the T-bar function which will allow you to display news alerts, weather and so on while there is an unobstructed view behind it.
LG also saysthat thanks to its transparent screen and wireless design, the OLED T can be placed anywhere in the room and does not need to be confined to near-wall placement. However, there will be wall-mountable and near-wall options available as well as the standalone OLED T.
Perhaps the most intriguing feature of all is the contrast screen. When viewing a demo of the OLED T, our Home Ents Managing Editor Matt Bolton said, "It’s clear immediately that there are real issues with the contrast" when viewing standard movies and TV shows on the OLED T as opposed to demos, but as the contrast screen was activated, Matt added that "it looked like a more standard OLED TV", describing the rollable contrast screen, based on tech used in the LG Signature R rollable TV, as the "secret weapon" of the set.
The future of TVs?
LG’s announcement comes at a perfect time after Samsung’s transparent Micro LED display was revealed, which from what we can gather won’t be affordable any time soon – not if its 89-inch micro-LED that costs the same as a small house is anything to go by. Although visually impressive (the thing really serves up hologram vibes), the Samsung Micro LED transparent display isn’t something we’re likely to see flying off shelves for the anticipated ticket price.
Although the same is probably true of the LG Signature OLED, the fact that a contrast screen is included to make the T resemble a more conventional OLED TV means LG sees this as the future of TVs; a tangible product that will have us all living out our best sci-fi fantasies (I’m ready to feel like I live in The Fifth Element or Blade Runner now).
What’s also fascinting is that with the inclusion of the Alpha 11 AI processor, this could mean that the OLED T has similar specs to the LG M4 (the flagship OLED TV within LG's 2024 OLED lineup), including 4K 144Hz and AMD FreeSync Premium for gaming and when connected with compatible LG soundbars, wireless, lossless Dolby Atmos, which started the next big home theater tech race. This hasn’t been confirmed, but with the Alpha 11 AI chip built-in, it’s a possibility right?
The OLED T is certainly a novel concept and gives people who want a jack-of-all-trades TV something that you can watch movies on and have blend in with the decor. And also, it's real – according to LG, it's actually coming to market.
It's not all great news. For those looking for the best TVs for movie and TV show viewing irrespective of transparency, this won't be the best option; in the demo Matt Bolton attended, he found the OLED T to be dimmer than the LG C4 in the same room. Still, there’s plenty of options out there and some of the best OLED TVs come from LG themselves. But if you want to experience the future, the LG Signature OLED T could well be it.
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