Customers living in South Korea or the USA will get LG’s 2019 range of OLED and UHD 4K TVs first, while those who live in Asia, Europe and South America will have to wait until the spring.
OLED TVs will make up 20% of LG’s high-end TV portfolio in 2019, with the Korean manufacturer commenting that demand for OLED screens is expected to grow from 3.6 million this year, to 7 million in 2020 and 10 million in 2021.
Screen sizes will stretch to 86in for the 4K OLED and NanoCell LED ranges. A number of sets will have the 2nd generation α (Alpha) 9 intelligent processor that optimises picture and sound. The LED range is 14 models strong, with sizes starting at 49in.
Expect a mid-year update that introduces Apple AirPlay 2 and Homekit for streaming audio and video from Apple devices. There will also be a firmware update that brings Amazon Alexa voice control into the fold, making LG the only TV manufacturer to have both Alexa and Google Assistant without the need of any additional speakers.
LG Signature OLED TV R (65R9)
The α (Alpha) 9 Gen 2 processor in the W, E and C OLED models can recognise the quality of the source content and help to deliver a “stunningly real image”. These sets can also detect ambient lighting conditions to produce an optimal level of brightness.
2019 also marks the year when the first 8K OLED TV (88Z9) will go on sale. A price hasn’t been mentioned, but expect it to be out of reach for most mere mortals. Also out is the Signature OLED TV R (65R9) ‘rollable’ set we saw at CES.
Related: LG 88Z9 hands-on review
Select OLED and NanoCell LED TVs will support HDMI 2.1 for 4K at 120 frames per second. The TVs will also support 4K HFR (High Frame Rate), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC).
Dolby Vision HDR is returning to its TVs, too, and LG claims DV will maintain outstanding picture performance even in brightly lit conditions. Dolby Atmos will be available on the Korean brand’s flagship TVs.
Brian Kwon, president of Mobile Communications and Home Entertainment companies said, “LG continues to push the boundaries of TV technological innovation, as can clearly be seen from our premium TV lineup for 2019”.
We’ll have more information on the UK towards the end of March, so be sure to check back as we update our range guides.
Do you think LG’s 2019 range is more interesting than its rivals? Let us know on Facebook or on Twitter @TrustedReviews
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
