Samsung launches sales of 55” curved OLED TVs

Kim Hyun-suk, executive vice president of Samsung’s TV division, presents the company’s first 55-inch curved OLED TV at a press event yesterday at company Seocho headquarters in southern Seoul. Provided by the company

Samsung Electronics yesterday released its first 55-inch curved organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV sized, but said a flat version is not expected until the end of the year.

The world’s No. 1 TV producer said the quality of the flat screen is not yet up to snuff.

“Top priority for OLED TVs is screen quality,” said Kim Hyun-suk, executive vice president of Samsung TV division, at a press conference at the company’s Seocho headquarters in southern Seoul.

“The decision to roll out a curved model before a flat one is based on the judgment that the former offers better quality.”

The new television, which Samsung first showed off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, carries a jaw-dropping price tag of 15 million won ($13,050).

OLED TVs have ultra-thin and light screens.

Kim said the curved OLED TV will start selling overseas from July but did not specify the countries.

Since last year, the industry has wondered when Samsung’s flat OLED TV would hit the market. The delay has been due to technological barriers, high manufacturing costs and yields of below 10 percent.

Rival LG Electronics, on the other hand, began selling a 55-inch flat OLED TV in January and followed up with a curved one in April. LG’s curved OLED TV costs the same as Samsung’s.

The curve makes the distance from the viewer’s eyes to the TV screen identical regardless of the angle. On flat screens, the image can be washed out or distorted in the corners.

BY SEO JI-EUN [spring@joongang.co.kr]