With displays getting bigger and bigger, technology to widen or narrow their viewing angle for a specific purpose is becoming more important than ever.
As far as “the bigger, the better” goes, we are seeing this consumer philosophy applied to many more displays, from TVs to monitors to automotive panels. According to the Korean media, 11.4% of TV panels shipped this year have been larger than 70 inches, with the average size on course to exceed 50 inches for the first time this year – making it just as important that these displays offer wide viewing angle technology as an ultra-high-definition screen resolution if they are to deliver the same picture quality from any angle.
On the other hand, viewing angle control technology is also drawing attention because it can support safe driving when applied to vehicle displays. As automobiles evolve into Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs), dubbed “moving smartphones,” the size of their displays is steadily expanding and we are seeing more vehicles equipped with various control and infotainment functions. With screens being installed in front of the passenger seat, the need has arisen recently to help drivers focus on the road.
Wide-viewing angle technology is key to picture quality consistency from anywhere
While watching TV, you may have experienced the feeling that the quality of the screen changes when you move your seat or when you are sitting off to the side with a group of people. With the advent of large displays, viewing angle importance has steadily increased. In addition, the rise of OTT services has seen the emergence of a culture in which people watch content such as movies and sports on TV together at home. The problem is that they might all have a different viewing experience depending on where they are sitting, even though they are all watching the same TV in the same room. So, TV consumers are discovering the necessity of a screen that is clearly visible from any angle.
A screen’s viewing angle, whether in front or to the right, left, higher, or lower, refers to the maximum angle at which the panel can be viewed normally. A display with a wide viewing angle allows the viewer to enjoy the same picture quality regardless of their viewing position. On the other hand, a narrow viewing angle causes differences in image quality as colors are distorted and brightness decreases when the screen is viewed off center.
LG Display has successfully achieved a 160-degree viewing angle via META Technology, which is 30% wider than the previous generation of OLED TV panels. With the application of the company’s proprietary MLA technology, this is the widest viewing angle among existing TV panels.
Inspired by the way a dragonfly has an unlimited 360-degree view of the world through its eyes made up of millions of convex lenses, MLA stands for Micro Lens Array. In the case of a 77-inch 4K OLED TV, that 160-degree viewing angle is achieved through the application of around 42.4 billion micrometer-sized lenses. When watching a panel equipped with this technology, viewers can enjoy the same image quality whether they are sitting directly in front of the screen or viewing from an angle of 160 degrees. So, watching movies or sports on a large OLED TV with family and friends can be a pleasure without any discomfort thanks to MLA technology’s incredible wide-viewing angle capability.
Viewing angle control technology as an essential element of safety
On the other hand, viewing angle control technology has also become essential as vehicle displays get bigger. Just a few years ago, it was common to see automotive displays measuring 5 to 7 inches. With the recent development of SDVs, larger panels of 10 to 13 inches are being favored by automakers. Next year, the proportion of panels exceeding 10 inches is expected to account for over half of all automotive display shipments for the first time.
A growing number of so-called P2P, or pillar-to-pillar, displays are being installed not only in front of the driver but also all the way to the front passenger’s side, particularly in premium vehicles. For the first time in the industry, LG Display has commercialized Switchable Privacy Mode (SPM) for a vehicle display. When SPM is operated, it blocks the driver’s viewing angle of whatever content the front passenger is watching, allowing the driver to steer their vehicle safely while the passenger remains entertained in comfort. SPM technology therefore enhances both safety and entertainment when applied to large vehicle displays that span across the view of the driver and front passenger.
As screens get bigger, from ultra-large OLED TVs to automotive displays, LG Display is continuously developing viewing angle technology that considers each use case when delivering excellent image quality and supporting safety.
