[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]LG Electronics (LG) announced that it will begin accepting pre-orders for its 55-inch (54.6-inch diagonal) Curved OLED TV (Model 55EA9800) in South Korea, with deliveries to begin next month. More than 1,400 LG retail stores in South Korea will begin taking orders today from customers for the premium TV, priced at KRW 15 million (approximately USD 13,500). The announcement makes LG the first and only company to commercialize both the flat screen OLED TV, which began shipping to Korean customers in February, and the Curved OLED TV, giving LG a significant lead in the OLED segment that is expected to grow to 7 million units by 2016, according to DisplaySearch.

“Our Curved OLED TV is not only the proof of LG’s unmatched leadership in next-generation displays but also a testament to LG’s commitment to bringing to market the most exciting TV technology available today,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG’s Home Entertainment Company.

The new EA9800 model features the industry’s very first curved screen ergonomic design, providing an “IMAX-like” viewing experience in the home. With more than five years of research behind developing the optimum curvature, the entire screen surface is equidistant from the viewer’s eyes, eliminating the problem of screen-edge visual distortion and loss of detail.

Only 4.3 millimeters (0.17 inches) thin and weighing just 17 kilograms (37.48 pounds), LG’s Curved OLED TV produces astoundingly vivid and realistic images thanks to its proprietary WRGB technology. The unique Four-Color Pixel system features a white sub-pixel, which works in conjunction with the conventional red, blue, green setup to create the perfect color output. What’s more, LG’s exclusive Color Refiner delivers even greater tonal enhancement, resulting in images that are more vibrant and natural than anything seen before. As in the original flat screen OLED TV, the Curved OLED TV also offers an infinite contrast ratio for optimal contrast levels regardless of ambient brightness or viewing angle. TÜV Rheinland, Intertek and VDE, three international testing and certification bodies, recently recognized LG’s Curved OLED TV for its superb picture quality.