LG Launches U.S. Sales of 4K OLED TVs

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—LG is selling OLED 4KTVs in the United States.

LG Electronics USA chose Southern California as the consumer launch pad for its new 65-inch class (64.5 inches measured diagonally) 4K OLED TV. LG teamed up with retailer Video & Audio Center to introduce OLED TVs to the U.S. consumer market “for the first time at a VIP in-store event attended by hundreds of customers last night in Santa Monica. Now available for sale at Video & Audio Center at $9,999, the 65EC9700 will be available nationwide later this month.”

LG said that each pixel of its its WRGB OLED technology is made up of four sub-pixels, or roughly 33 million sub-pixels with no backlight necessary, rendering deep blacks. LGs OLEDs are also described as having a “subtly curved, razor thin design – less than a quarter inch or the depth of just a few credit cards at the thinnest point.” The frameless, bezel-less design allows the picture to cover the screen from edge-to-edge. The LG OLED TVs incorporate the latest HDMI interface, H.265 decoding for 4K, a dual-chip, six-step upscaler, and a WebOS smart platform for switching between sources.

Little content is yet available in 4K, but a concert this fall featuring Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will be streamed live in 4K, with LG as the sponsor. LG says a 20 Mbps connection is recommended.