I'm staring at a video call in front of me but it looks anything but typical. And that's because the heads seem to be floating in front of the screen. The reason for that is that this is no ordinary display. It's a transparent OLED from LG Display.
Yup, this feels very much like the future envisioned in Minority Report, minus the dystopian vibes. I got up close with three of these transparent OLED displays at LG Display's booth at CES 2024, and I was impressed with the clarity of the image offered and some of the possible use cases.
I also had a chance to check out a mock retail setting that uses transparent OLEDs and a 240Hz OLED gaming monitor that can bend on command.
Transparent OLEDs are coming
In case you haven't seen the announcement from LG Electronics, it is shipping the LG Signature T OLED later this year, a 77-inch OLED TV that gives you the choice of a transparent picture where apps and content feel like they're floating in mid-air and a more traditional opaque picture where the contrast screen raises.
The transparent OLEDs at the LG Display booth are fully transparent with a 77-inch 4K TV, a 55-inch full HD screen and a 30-inch HD monitor. The biggest screen of course delivered the most immersive experience in terms of video playback and the colors were surprisingly rich even without a black background, such as with a group of orange slices on display.
LG Display envisions this panel being used as a home screen but also as an electronic whiteboard in office meeting rooms or large digital signage.
The middle 55-inch transparent OLED display had a video loop playing of a video conference call, and it actually felt like the person in the middle of the frame was in the room with me. To the left you could see files for easy sharing and on the right the faces of the other callers.
This transparent OLED could be used as a video conferencing device or in public spaces like subway windows or museums.
The 30-inch HD transparent OLED I could see being used for office functions, and sure enough it had a stock ticker on display along with a virtual assistant you could ask questions. LG Display it could also be used at reception desks.
LG Display also showed us a mock retail environment where you could shop with transparent OLED displays all around, including two tall OLED panels with models that were life-sized. And the inside of the store had a kiosk with a transparent OLED touchscreen, where you could look up product info.
Ahead of the gaming curve
I also got a kick out of seeing LG Display's new 45-inch WQHD bendable OLED. With the press of a button, you can go from a flat screen to a maximum curvature of 800R.
For example, you might perfer a flat panel when playing a soccer sim but want a more immersive curved gaming experience when playing a racing game — making it feel like you're in the cockpit.
With a high refresh rate of 240Hz and a solid resolution of 3,440 x 1,440 pixels, a gaming monitor like this would likely be pricey when it comes to market, but we know there's gamers out there that would pay the premium for this kind of performance.
Outlook
LG Display doesn't sell monitors and TVs directly to consumers. They work with other companies that do, so it could be a while before we see these technologies in the real world. But it's cool to look in their crystal ball to get a sneak peek at what's coming.
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