In many consumer electronics, the screen is a key element that determines the product experience. It's easy to understand, as the experience of most products is built on the interaction between users and the product, and interaction through the screen is undoubtedly the most direct, efficient, and mainstream way currently.
This is why at events like the annual CES consumer electronics show, we often see consumer electronics manufacturers showcasing "rollable" screen technology and forms. Sometimes, it's even in a physical sense of "rolling".
At CES 2019, LG unveiled the world's first rollable OLED TV R1, which was groundbreaking and was immediately hailed as the "best TV" of that year. However, five years later, LG Electronics finally decided to completely stop the production of rollable OLED TVs, cease their global sales, and retrieve all display units.
But from the beginning to the abandonment, the exit of rollable screen TVs is not surprising at all. In fact, we had seen the decline of rollable screen technology in areas such as smartphones, smartwatches, and PCs even earlier.
4 months, 10 units: The "immortal TV" that couldn't sell
It can be confirmed that the direct reason LG chose to abandon rollable OLED TVs is: they couldn't sell well.
LG Rollable OLED TV R1, Image/ LG
After the release of the rollable OLED TV R1, LG officially announced its launch in October 2020. However, according to later reports from Korean media, the sales of the LG 65RX Rollable in the Korean market after 4 months were only 10 units.
Although it was introduced in North America, Europe, and the domestic market starting from 2021, it still did not make a big splash.
Fairly speaking, the product performance of LG's rollable OLED TV is not bad.
In terms of the rollable screen TV, besides being able to "roll up" when not in use - hiding the TV screen like magic into the base device, it also supports an intermediate mode between fully expanded and retracted, which LG calls "Line View," displaying features like clock, photos, and music controls.
The LG Rollable OLED TV R1 offers features like Dolby Vision, 120Hz 4K gaming, variable refresh rate, and auto low latency mode. It also comes with 4 HDMI 2.1 ports and a 100W Dolby Atmos sound system, meeting most modern TV requirements. However, priced at 90,000 RMB, it exceeds the budget of most consumers. Even for the wealthy, the TV has limitations such as being available only in a 65-inch size, inferior display specs compared to LG OLED TV G1, and reliability issues. In summary, the LG Rollable OLED TV R1's positioning could be described as "unaffordable for the poor, unimpressive for the rich," including LG's 55-inch transparent rollable OLED TV facing a similar dilemma.
Scroll + Transparent, Image/LG
It's no wonder that LG's rollable OLED TV, despite its stunning design, has always faced the awkward situation of not selling well, let alone achieving scale effects, profit iteration, and optimization of rollable screen TVs. This also seals the fate of rollable screen TVs.
But the decline of rollable screens is not limited to just TVs.
From TVs to smartphones, from smartwatches to laptops.
Looking back now, 2021 can be considered the "highlight moment" of rollable screen technology. The novelty of LG's rollable OLED TV R1 is still fresh in the public's mind, while many manufacturers are also exploring the application of rollable screen technology.
At that year's CES, OPPO did not follow the then-popular concept of foldable screens, but instead showcased a stunning OPPO X 2021 rollable screen concept phone, capable of achieving seamless adjustment between 6.7 inches and 7.4 inches screen sizes, with almost "zero creases."
The OPPO X 2021 rollable screen concept phone has sparked a lot of attention in the tech world, making many people feel that even the concept of "foldable screen phones" is no longer as appealing.
The OPPO X 2021 rollable screen concept phone, image/ OPPO
Meanwhile, LG announced the LG Rollable featuring their own rollable screen technology; TCL also showcased vertical and horizontal rollable phones based on BOE flexible screen bending technology; Samsung's patents approved by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) indicate their consideration of applying rollable screen technology in smartwatches.
Not only the mentioned manufacturers, but also top smartphone companies like Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi have all at some point considered the rollable screen technology route. PC manufacturers are no exception.
Lenovo showcased a rollable screen laptop at MWC 2023, where users can instantly stretch the screen from a 16:9 12-inch display to an 8:9 15.3-inch display, aiming to address the long-standing contradiction between "large screen" and "portability" in laptops.
Lenovo Scroll Screen Prototype, Image/Lenovo
However, whether it's a scroll screen phone, watch, or notebook, they are all basically short-lived novelties.
LG's Rollable, which was officially stated not to be a concept device, later decided not to be released; OPPO's official announcement of a scroll screen phone has been rumored, but the result shifted towards foldable screen phones; in the second year of showcasing the scroll screen notebook, Lenovo quickly shifted focus to transparent display screen technology.
After the flashy concepts and tech showcases, scroll screen products ultimately end up back in the "lab."
The sin lies in being unripe, and the flaw lies in being expensive.
In theory, scroll screens are indeed a more portable and elegant screen technology that can adjust screen size according to user needs, providing great portability and flexibility. However, in practice, scroll screens face many limitations.
Durability, or rather reliability, is a major issue.
The core of a scroll screen is rolling up the flexible screen, which means the screen must endure more tension and stress, and if there is uneven force during movement, it can easily damage the screen. This working method determines that frequent unrolling and rolling can lead to material fatigue, resulting in damage or performance decline after long-term use.
The OPPO X 2021 rollable screen concept phone, image/ OPPO
According to LG, their first rollable OLED TV R can support up to 50,000 expansions, which is not low for a TV. However, this is the maximum support, and it is still challenging to guarantee no damage or performance decline during the process.
Furthermore, rollable screens face significant challenges in terms of drop resistance and waterproofing, especially in the screen and motor (which drives the screen to roll automatically). These challenges may be even more severe than those faced by foldable screens. The precise control mechanism and heat management of rollable screens also pose technological challenges, requiring manufacturers to have high-precision mechanical design and superior heat dissipation solutions to ensure the stable operation of the device.
All these factors have somewhat forced manufacturers to compromise on the core display performance to ensure the normal functioning of rollable screens.
At the same time, the cost of rollable screens has not decreased. Manufacturing rollable screens requires special materials and complex production processes, as well as precise mechanical components to support the smooth unfolding and rolling up of the screen. This results in production costs much higher than traditional flat panel screens and even higher than foldable screens.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold with a foldable screen faces the same issue as other scroll screen products - exorbitant pricing that makes it difficult for the average consumer to afford.
The challenges encountered by scroll screens are common during the application phase of many technologies. Some technologies are accepted by the market, scale up, reduce costs, and eventually become part of everyday life in a positive cycle. However, some technologies may remain stuck in the initial application phase until they are abandoned.
The key point is that scroll screens and foldable screen technologies naturally compete with each other. While foldable screen technology has overcome many material, process, and design issues, establishing a solid position in the smartphone market, scroll screens are still in a constant state of experimentation and hesitation between the "lab" and the "market."
It's hard to predict their future.
