In a step towards making large displays for flexible TVs, LG's display division showed off its 18-inch flexible display that can roll up into a cylinder. LG touted this as a significant advance that could make large TVs portable. It isn't quite known what other uses a rolling display technology could be used for, but when you're about to move to a new home and your 60-inch TV isn't exactly easy to throw in the backseat, the ability to roll it up like a poster would come in handy. It also looks fancy, so it has that going for it too.

In the announcement, LG presented a rollable 18-inch OLED panel, and an 18-inch transparent OLED panel. OLED technology is an advanced display that can show images in richer colors. Both can be rolled up to a radius of 3cm without affecting display quality or function, and have a resolution of 1200 x 810, with almost 1 million mega-pixels. The panel is made out of a “high molecular substance-based polyime film”, a high-performance plastic creating this level of flexibility. The transparent panel adopted LG's pixel design technology, delivering 30% transmittance, which the company expects to increase to 40% as soon as larger panels are manufactured. The resolution falls within the range of high-definition for sure, however the images on the display are not expected to look as sharp as some of the latest Ultra HD TVs boast today.

To goal is to combine both panel technologies to supply a rollable, transparent TV to consumers by 2017. LG senior vice president Byung Kang says, “We are confident that by 2017 we will successfully develop an Ultra HD flexible and transparent OLED panel of more than 60 inches, which will have transmittance of more than 40% and a curvature radius of 100R”. This is not the first we have seen of flexible displays. Back in 2010, Sony announced its 4.2-inch OLED display with 432 x 240 pixel resolution, which could wrap around the small size of a pencil. Samsung also introduced a 5.7-inch AMOLED bendable display for smartphones last year. LG's G Flex smartphone debuted early this year, but was kind of a flop. LG Display wanted to go bigger, and for reason. South Korean display makers are striving to gain a good edge in flexible display. They picture this being the way to set themselves apart from big rivals in Japan, China, and Taiwan.