songbird ombudsman: Samsung shows off production 55-inch OLED HDTVs at the 2012 World's Fair

Friday, May 11, 2012

Samsung shows off production 55-inch OLED HDTVs at the 2012 World's Fair

We got a first hand look at Samsung's stunning 55-inch OLED HDTV prototypes earlier this year during CES, but now it's surprising the world by showing off the first mass produced ES9500 models at the 2012 World's Fair (which is apparently still a thing?) in Korea. Beyond the Smart Interaction voice and gesture control, Smart Content and Smart Evolution upgradeable dual-core CPU features found in its other high-end HDTVs, Samsung has also built in Smart Dual View technology. This lets users watch two different programs (2D) on one screen at the same time using the set's 3D glasses and sound fed through headphones. Since each pixel is individually lit, Samsung says its OLED tech has 20 percent better color reproduction than existing LED-backlit LCD HDTVs. There's still no word on exactly when these will ship and for how much, however with competition on the way from LG, these fresh-off-the-factory-line flat panels are a sign we won't be waiting long. Other than new display tech, Samsung also took the opportunity to officially announce bigger LCD models on the way in sizes from 60- to 75-inches. Check the galleries below for a few pictures straight from the expo, as well as our shots of the CES display.

Update: According to the Associated Press, company officials expect it to go on sale in the second half of the year for over 10 million won, around $9,000 US.

Gallery: Samsung ES9500 55-inch OLED HDTV