Innovative TV startup Displace plans to launch two new models in its wireless TV range at the consumer electronics shows (CES) in January 2024. The TVs are called the Displace Flex and Displace Mini and mark an expansion of the company's own first fully wireless 55-inch 4K TV that we saw earlier this year.
The 55-inch Flex will cost $5,999, while the 27-inch Mini will cost half that, at $2,499. But you can't buy them right away. Shipping dates for the Flex and Mini are tentatively listed as “by the end of 2024.”
Like the original Displace TV, the Flex has a similar spec list, including its extremely lightweight and portable wireless capabilities and month-long battery life. However, what is new is that it is equipped with an NFC reader and thermal cameras. The NFC readers allow you to pause the video you're watching to purchase items like clothing, electronics, and food that are relevant to what you're watching. Once you've selected your items, all you have to do is put your phone on the TV itself or pay via the Displace app and you're done. Meanwhile, the thermal cameras can generate body heat maps that can be used with apps like telehealth to assess your health.
These new features are also included in the Displace Mini, a 27-inch version of the original Displace screen. It weighs just 12kg, meaning it can be installed anywhere in your home in places like the fridge, kitchen countertops, bathrooms and more, to give you that interactive, smart home feeling. The Displace Mini can also be combined with other Minis to make a bigger screen, again just like the original Displace TV, meaning people with businesses can combine them to make a bigger screen. Like the Flex, the Mini also has an average lifespan of one month based on six hours of viewing per day. It can also be charged wirelessly via the Displace Stand, but this is sold separately.
What's unique about these TVs is that they can be easily hung on the wall thanks to Displace's active loop vacuum technology, which allows it to stick to the wall without the need for a wall bracket. Displace claims it is one of the safest TVs to hang on the wall due to its self-lowering gear system.
The TV of the future or a gimmick?
The Displace TV range offers many futuristic features that science fiction fans have been dreaming of. The ability to operate the display with hand gestures conjures up images of Tom Cruise Minority report. Meanwhile, the features that make it easy to interact seamlessly with the TVs while shopping and doctor appointments also remind me of Blade Runner And The fifth element.
While this all sounds fantastic, $2,499 for the 27-inch Mini and $5,499 for the 55-inch Flex a lot of of money. You can use the best TVs on the market for that price, including part of the best OLED TVs in large format. While the Flex and Mini may sound like the TVs of the future, they will be aimed at those who can stretch their budget that far.
Where the Displace range sounds useful is for businesses looking to create large screens, as the TVs can be combined together. You can combine the 55-inch TVs into one gigantic 220-inch screen with 16K resolution! This is admittedly cheaper than other large screens such as LG's 118-inch MicroLED screenwhich retails for $237,000, and its 55-inch screen even uses OLED technology.
So while these may not be accessible to everyone, they are certainly useful solutions, especially the 27-inch Mini for its versatility as a smart-home style solution and the 55-inch Flex for business displays. But if you're looking for a more conventional TV, you're probably better off buying one of the following best 4K TVs and shop the old fashioned way.