LG is preparing to unveil a 4K TV that will make use of quantum dots, technology that will enable the ultra HD TVs to output vibrant colors and a system that could see expensive sets plunge in price across the board.
Quantum dots, nano crystals that measure between 2 and 10 nanometers in diameter, will improve brightness and speed up the rate at which colors are reproduced. The nano crystals are placed on a film in front of the LCD backlight, each dot giving off colors based on its individual size.
Though Sony has already been working with quantum dot technology in its new Triluminos TV, In-kyu Lee, head of LG's TV and monitor division, says his company's early use of the nano crystals solidifies its standing as the provider of the most diverse range of display technologies in the industry.
"Quantum dot's vibrant and vivid color reproduction capabilities brings LG's LCD TVs to the next level when it comes to picture quality," says Lee.
LG is planning to show off the new 4K TV with quantum dot technology when the tech company sets up its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which runs from Jan. 6 through 9.
While LG is planning to test the market for 4K TVs with quantum dot technology, Samsung is expected to make the bigger push -- LG is believed to be using the technology to drive down the cost of OLED TV sets. Meanwhile, Sony has been quietly using the technology, which has enabled it to offer 4K TVs at a fraction of the cost of models of the pricey OLED, or Organic Light-Emitting Diode, screens. OLED is a display technology that makes it possible to create very thin TV sets.
Back at CES 2013, Sony showed off its first TV that leveraged quantum dot technology. It was the first time the decades-old quantum dot technology, which was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was used in mass-produced hardware.
While the prices of Sony's revamped Triluminos TVs haven't fallen, the displays were initially expected to trail close to the costs set by standard 1080p units. But with LG finally getting on board and Samsung expected to do so at some point in 2015, quantum technology is poised to enjoy widespread adoption at the top of the industry.
Once the big players all give quantum dots a run, the rest of the industry could fall in line and the prices of 4K television sets may finally be affordable for the masses.
