In what is becoming an annual TV “swordfight,” Samsung and LG are each claiming to have the world’s first and largest 105-inch curved 4K Ultra HD TV. Only Samsung is claiming its is the “most curved.” Since the criteria for qualifying as being the first is highly debatable (First to announce? First to to land a production model on US soil? First to sell one in a store?) and is unimportant to the vast majority of the world’s population, let’s just set aside rivalry for the moment and focus on the tech, shall we?
A glance at the vital specs has LG and Samsung’s monstrous Cinemawide televisions looking very similar, though we’re sure their differences will be clear when unveiled at CES 2014 – especially that ‘most curved’ part. Samsung hasn’t disclosed the set’s model number, but we do know that it will sport the ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and an 11-million-pixel, 5120×2160 screen resolution. Samsung’s image of the TV leaves a lot to the imagination, showing only the screen itself and no stand or other type of support structure.
On the inside, we can expect Samsung’s Smart TV interface, 4K upscaling engine (Quadmatic Picture Engine), S Recomendation system, gesture control, voice recognition, and the company’s proprietary brew of image processing. It is also likely the set will feature some sort of premium audio system.
Like LG, Samsung is keeping further details, including price, close to its chest for the time being. Further announcements will likely be held until the TV is shown off at CES 2014.
The announcement is reminiscent of CES 2013, when the Korean rivals each surprised show-goers with curved OLED televisions. Leading up to the show and right through their respective press conferences, neither company disclosed any information regarding the curved OLED TVs. Each was set up in secret minutes before the show floor opened.
