April has proven to be all about the new TVs. LG has also just announced its 2018 lineup of OLEDs, UHDs and 4K UHDs. Here’s how much they are and when you can get them.
2018 marks a real push by LG to dive further into the AI space with its ThinQ technology, which is being embedded across the range. This includes the inclusion of its Magic Remote, which allows users speak directly into it to trigger voice assistant technology. Fortunately the remote isn’t listening all the time – you need to press a button to activate voice assist.
“The general phenomenon of Artificial Intelligence – or AI– is beginning to permeate our lives. Ultimately every device will soon be listening; waiting to follow our commands and answer our questions. It’s the next level of robotics. But for the everyday items that we rely on the most that also makes it one of the biggest technological and social changes we have seen in decades. What makes this even more exciting is that companies like LG are making AI a reality and we are seeing quantifiable changes in the way we can go about our lives; freeing up time and making things easier,” said UNSW Professor Toby Walsh, leading Australian researcher in Artificial Intelligence.
At the present time, if you ask one of the TVs to find a specific film or TV, it will only scrape Netflix. Samsung representatives told Gizmodo that they are looking at further integration with other content platforms in the near future.
Some highlights from the OLED range include:
- New a9 processor
- 120fps
- 4K Cinema HDR with Dolby Vision
- Advanced HDR by Technicolor
- ThinQ technology
- Magic remote
- Google Assistant compatible
One thing that stood out to me was the strong integration of art into the launch demonstrations at the MCA in Sydney. The OLEDs in particular converted to stunning faux-paintings (frame and all) seamlessly. It’s reminiscent of what Samsung is currently doing with its ambient mode.
There seems to be a real trend in market at the moment for higher-end televisions to be functional (even just aesthetically) when they aren’t being actively watched.
Now onto the pricing! You’ll notice that there is a huge difference across the entire range, from $699 to $19,990. And while there will be quite a difference between those two units, it does mean that LG are hitting most budget price points, which is a Smart move.
OLED
- W8 77-inch – $19,990
- W8 65-inch – $9,999
- E8 65-inch – $7,699
- E8 55-inch – $4,999
- C8 77-inch – $14,990
- C8 65-inch – $6,399
- C8 55-inch – $4,099
Super UHD
- SK95 65-inch – $4,999
- SK85 65-inch – $4,799
- SK85 55-inch – $3,099
- SK80 75-inch – TBC
- SK80 65-inch – $4,199
- SK80 55-inch – $2,749
- UK75 65-inch – $3,599
- UK75 55-inch – $2,399
- UK75 49-inch – $1,899
UHD
- UK65 86-inch – TBC
- UK65 75-inch – TBC
- UK65 70-inch – TBC
- UK65 55-inch – $2,149
- UK65 50-inch – $1,649
- UK65 43-inch – $1,399
- UK65 32-inch – $6,99
The entire LG television range will be out later this month.