LG has been at the forefront of flexible display technology for some time now, and while we had hoped to see a foldable smartphone from the South Korean company by this stage, it has instead chosen to focus on TVs. To that end we saw LG debut a rollable OLED TV at CES 2018, and now the company is finally ready to release the market-ready version.

Before you go heading to your local electronics store to pick up the LG Signature OLED R, the TV is only being launched in the company’s native South Korea for now.

As such, it remains to be seen when and indeed if it will launch in countries like South Africa anytime soon. There might be a good reason for this, however, as LG has slapped a $87 000 (~R1.43 million) price tag on this rollable OLED TV.

Given the fact that the company still needs to determine what kind of appetite there is for such a device, especially in 2020, perhaps a slow and measured rollout is the best move.

If you have not seen the Signature R in action, we recommend giving the video after the break a watch, which was was taken at CES 2020 earlier in the year, pre-COVID.

In it you’ll see the 65″ flexible OLED display expand out of and retract from its housing, as well as images appearing the the screen thanks to LG’s groundbreaking self-lighting pixel technology.

LG also explains that the Signature R will cater to three different viewing options – Full View, Line View and Zero View. Each of the different views are designed for a unique viewing experience, with Full View designed to be like an at-home cinema and Zero View being used to showcase artwork in particular.

It should be interesting to see how well this rollable OLED TV sells once it moves outside of South Korea’s borders, particularly given its price, but it’s clear that LG has a specific type of customer in mind for this one.

“This is a true luxury product that reimagines what television can be, this unique TV delivers a differentiated user experience and a new way of thinking about space while once again confirming LG’s leadership in the premium TV market,” noted Park Hyoung-sei, president of LG Home Entertainment Company.

What we’re ore intrigued by is how this technology can be applied to smaller form factors and devices, so hopefully that foldable LG smartphone or rollable tablet isn’t too far away.