Is the era of curved TV really coming?

Recently, LED curved TVs have created a new trend in the home appliance industry. Curved TV manufacturers claim that they have put a lot of effort into the technology and are committed to providing users with an excellent viewing experience. However, users who purchased curved TVs at high prices have said that the goods are inferior and the price is high, and they are not worth it. On April 25, Shenzhen Satellite TV's First Scene reported on this. Consumer Mr. Chen said that after purchasing an LED curved TV, he felt that the viewing experience of the curved TV was completely disproportionate to its high price. The effect of watching ordinary TV on a curved TV is actually average, and there is no so-called cinema immersion. At the same time, curved TVs also have problems with picture deformation and severe reflection. So, is LED curved TV a trend in the future development of TV, or is it just a gimmick?

What exactly is a curved screen?

The screen of LED curved TV is made by pressing the flat LED screen into a certain curvature through mold opening, that is, it is physically deformed by external force, rather than the original curved screen created by technology, and there is no major innovation in technology. The LED curved screen itself is not a self-luminous body, and the backlight needs to be brushed on the curved screen during manufacturing. At the same time, it is difficult to brush evenly on all sides in terms of technology, so there may be light leakage around. Manufacturers use simple physical methods to forcibly press the LED screen into a curved screen, which not only brings great difficulties to the production process, but also greatly increases the cost of the product, but the actual viewing effect is not greatly improved.

Can curved TVs really provide an immersive experience?

The biggest advertising appeal of curved TVs is the immersive experience. The so-called immersive experience means that because the screen has a certain curvature, it can provide a surround viewing experience similar to watching an IMAX movie in a theater, lengthening the depth of the picture and giving people an immersive visual effect. Enthusiasts who pursue the ultimate IMAX experience have shown their enthusiasm for curved TVs, and curved TVs have become the new favorite of many IMAX enthusiasts. But in fact, LED curved TVs have failed the love of many fanatical fans.

Since the screen of a curved TV is slightly curved, consumers can only get the best visual effect by sitting at the center of the curve. Curved screens can only show better surround effects when they are larger in size. Moreover, the immersive experience of a curved TV often requires a larger screen to be achieved. A curved TV needs to be at least 65 inches to be comparable to the visual effect of a 55-inch flat-screen TV. However, for ordinary consumer families, it is obviously impossible for a TV to serve only one or two people, and the space for placing a TV in the living room is also limited. Therefore, the so-called immersive experience has certain limitations, and it is not worth it to make impulse purchases for the immersive experience.

So will LED curved TVs really replace flat-screen TVs and occupy the future market?

Curved TVs on the market are divided into ULED curved TVs and OLED curved TVs. OLED curved TVs are original curved screens created based on the flexibility of the screen using technical processes. OLED has advantages in thickness, weight, viewing angle, brightness, contrast, etc., avoiding the drawbacks of LED curved TVs. However, the current market price of OLED is too high for ordinary consumers to accept. At the same time, the strong publicity and price reduction activities of LED curved TVs have also created a market boom for LED curved TVs. However, LED curved TVs are only a transitional product, and OLED is a curved TV with mature technology. In the future, the real curved TV era should still be led by OLED curved TVs.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.