TCL shows off the world’s first sideways rolling TV
Flexible displays and screens have been a long time coming, but they are finally emerging ...
Key takeaways
- See the new display for yourself They showed off two prototypes of the technology, with one unfurling vertically, like the LG rollable OLED, and the other unfurling horizontally.
- The sideways rollable OLED is particularly interesting, given the only commercially available rollable OLED so far, the LG Signature Series OLED TV R, unfurls vertically.
- LG unveiled its own rollable OLED at CES 2018 and it took until late 2020 for it to finally launch at an eye watering price, and so far it’s only available in South Korea.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'TCL shows off the world’s first sideways rolling TV', 311 Institute, 26 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/tcl-show-off-the-worlds-first-sideways-rolling-tv/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Sci-fi films often have a bunch of fancy gadgets, and some of the more common tech gadgets include transparent smartphones and devices, like these transparent TV’s that were unveiled recently, or gadgets with flexible and rollable screens. And then, of course, there are holograms, like these real ones I showed off ages ago.
While devices like smartphones with flexible screens have been on the market for a while now TV’s and gadgets with rollable screens have largely been stuck in the labs with LG’s 65” rollable TV being an exception. Now though TV maker and electronics heavyweight TCL, who’ve been developing a number of rollable OLED display designs have just showed them off at their latest DTC 2020 conference.
See the new display for yourself
They showed off two prototypes of the technology, with one unfurling vertically, like the LG rollable OLED, and the other unfurling horizontally. You can check them both out in the video above.
The sideways rollable OLED is particularly interesting, given the only commercially available rollable OLED so far, the LG Signature Series OLED TV R, unfurls vertically. It seems, at least, that these flexible display technologies are improving in reliability, and more manufacturers are taking a chance on publicly showing rollable tech.
At the moment there's no official naming or release confirmation, and you shouldn't expect to see anything on the shelves near you anytime soon. LG unveiled its own rollable OLED at CES 2018 and it took until late 2020 for it to finally launch at an eye watering price, and so far it’s only available in South Korea.
And as for the argument for rollable TVs? OLED panels are far better at being twisted, folded, and bent than regular LCDs and their self-emissive pixels mean they can keep a slim form factor and not need a backlight behind them that would also need to be folded...
There's also a big benefit in saving space with the TV’s being to be folded away when they’re not being used, so from that perspective at least it looks like they’ll have a bright future, as and when they’re finally commercialised and affordable which should happen within the next five years or so.
What this means for your organisation
Rolling screens are leaving the lab.
TCL has shown two rollable OLED designs, one rolling vertically and one rolling sideways. Until now the only commercial rollable OLED unfurled vertically. More makers showing the technology in public suggests reliability is improving.
Timing is still uncertain.
LG showed its rollable OLED at CES 2018 and it only launched in late 2020, at a high price and in one country. The source expects commercial and affordable rollable TVs within about five years. Treat this as a planning signal, not a purchase decision.
The payoff is space and form.
OLED pixels glow on their own, so there is no backlight to fold. That keeps the panel slim and lets a screen be put away when unused. Flexible displays and flexible electronics are both on our Explore list, so test use cases early.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our spaces would gain most from a screen that rolls away?
- What would we need to see before buying a rollable display?
- Who owns watching flexible display progress in our organisation?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Flexible displays and screens have been a long time coming, but they are finally emerging ...
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 26 November 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). TCL shows off the world’s first sideways rolling TV. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/tcl-show-off-the-worlds-first-sideways-rolling-tv/
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