LG is putting the kibosh on its tantalizing 65-inch rollable OLED TV, the first of its kind that was introduced back in 2019.
The Signature OLED TV R showed new promise in an area totally refreshing and relegated mostly to projector screens. Launching at the astronomical price of $100,000, though, proved of its conceptual nature, not unlike similar offerings debuting at CES this past year, like the LG transparent OLED TV.
While the rolling OLED TV idea is fascinating, it failed to attract much of a consumer base — to the point where it hasn’t seen any major refresh since 2021. Its premium sticker price is a definite sore spot, but it also isn’t exactly among the best LG TVs on a technical level.
In its place, the aforementioned Signature OLED T transparent TV will become LG’s next major production concept in tandem with other high-end OLED displays, like the beloved LG C4 OLED TV. Any potential future editions of the OLED TV R and its production line will be swiftly scrapped.
The woes of rollable OLEDs
Despite being a fascinating concept that sees your living room TV capable of disappearing into its stand at the click of a button, the rollable OLED idea never seemed to take storm. LG announced the product at CES 2019 and later launched at an asking price of $100,000 for the 65-inch screen, one that came equipped with a 100W Dolby Atmos speaker system in its base catering to those without one of the best soundbars.
Given this well-rounded sound system, the OLED R was also intended to be used as an alternate in-home audio device. It came with three main modes; Zero View, when the TV was completely retracted into its base, Full View, when it was at its maximum TV height, and Line View, which raised it up just slightly for music, animated content, and various “Moods,” like Fireplace, Rain and more.
The rollable OLED would later be updated in 2021, but that seems to have done little in the way of swaying consumers onto the platform. Since its launch, the OLED R has dropped in price to around $87,000. LG has seemingly not found a way to dramatically lower its production costs or find an alternative method of bringing the rollable OLED to market at a more affordable rate.
Though it might not be among the best OLED TVs, the rollable OLED R lineup will be missed and interestingly will live on in the LG OLED T transparent TV. You can witness similar rolling technology being used when the darker pane scrolls up to counteract its transparent mode.
The OLED T is poised to officially launch later this year. It's unclear what the starting price might look like, but if the OLED R is of any influence, then you can expect quite the investment for OLED transparency. LG has also brought to market the wireless LG M3 OLED TV, which proves to be an exciting new entry that could spell the future of the display industry.
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