LG unveils revolutionary display technology with “the world’s first expandable screen” capable of extending by 50%.

The revolutionary invention could change the way we use displays in the future, according to an LG Display press release on Sunday.

The 12- to 18-inch prototype, unveiled at the LG Science Park in Seoul, South Korea, maintains full RGB colors and excellent resolution.

“We will continue to build a sustainable future display ecosystem through close cooperation between South Korean industry, academia and research stakeholders,” said Soo-young Yoon, CTO and Executive Vice President from LG Display, during the event.

This extendable screen can twist and expand into a variety of shapes, unlike standard flexible screens which can simply bend or bend.

The technology is opening up new possibilities across several industries, including wearables, fashion and the automotive sector.

10,000 times expandable?

With a resolution of 100 pixels per inch, the new 12-inch screen can expand up to 18 inches while producing sharp, colorful images.

The current version offers a considerable improvement with an improved expandability rate of 50% compared to LG’s initial prototype from 2022, which could only stretch by 20%.

“The maximum elongation rate of the new panel has more than doubled from 20% to 50%,” said the press release.

“This improved extensibility enables diverse display design possibilities, increasing the potential competitiveness of the technology once commercialized.”

New display wiring methods and a unique silicon material used in contact lenses were among the cutting-edge technologies that enabled this accomplishment, LG claims.

The tech titan claims the screen can be stretched more than 10,000 times without sacrificing image quality, even in extreme weather conditions.

Sticky, stretchy screen

In addition to being light, thin and strong, the stretch screen can adhere to surfaces with uneven curves, such as skin or clothing.

The company demonstrated several possible uses, including an automotive display that can change shape and be controlled by hand gestures and a wearable display that gives real-time information to firefighters.

LG screen is at the forefront of this technology, which is part of a national research led by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The goal of the project is to invent the next generation of display technology.

Not only did LG’s successful development of stretchable displays improve screen flexibility, it also helped South Korea achieve its broader goal of dominating the global display market.

LG vs. Samsung

Many tech giants have tried stretchable displays; Samsung introduced one earlier this year at the International Meeting on Information Display (IMID) 2024 conference.

The stretchable panel uses micro-LED technology “and has the highest resolution and aspect ratio among stretchable products on the market,” according to a press release from August.

“The latest panel can expand up to 1.25 times its original size and features a resolution of 120 pixels per inch, comparable to gaming monitors,” according to the display maker.

Samsung claims that the flexible micro LED display can be stretched up to 1.25 times or “twisted like a rubber”, and it will return to its original shape.

Meanwhile, LG’s latest concept is unique due to its higher expansion rate and high resolution. micro-LED technology, allowing to preserve image quality under pressure.