Over the past few months, there has been much debate and discussion on the topic of flexible screens, with prototype organic LED displays from Samsung making headlines, for their deliberate lack of rigidity.

 

However, it seems that rival manufacturer, LG, could be the first to bring a large scale curved OLED display to market, after it revealed a new 55 inch LED  panel this week.

 

The display itself is very thin and light, while also being lumbered with a high asking price of roughly  8,750, ahead of its launch in South Korea.

 

Most people will be used to viewing flat panel displays, which makes the curved nature of this LED screen quite novel. This form factor is intended to improve the viewing experience and cater to the natural way in which we view the world.

 

LG has shipped out over 200 OLED displays since it released the first flat panel models earlier this year, although experts believe it could be another five years before it actually starts to make a profit on selling these screens.

 

The Wall Street Journal reports that one analyst believes LG will sell a decent number of the curved OLED displays when they launch, because many of the buyers will actually be rival companies.

 

Sometimes the best way to keep up with the competition is to get under the skin of their hardware once it has hit the market.

 

Although Samsung is certainly the larger and more successful of South Korea's two biggest electronics manufacturers, it is clear that LG feels that it can establish itself, by releasing new products earlier than its rival.

 

LED systems are facilitating the creation of a wide range of new display types, from curved and flexible displays to completely transparent screens, with a range of potential applications.