Curved screen TVs were first introduced in 2013 with Samsung and LG punting the technology as the next thing in the television market offering a more immersive experience.
Curved TVs are disappearing from the shelves of South African retailers, and there is a good reason for it.
TV manufacturers further argued that curved screens offer a greater range in satisfactory viewing angles and a wider field of view.
There are, however, also many negatives. There are problems if you watch from the side, and the reflections on curved TVs are worse than their flat-screen counterparts.
Curved TVs are also more expensive than flat-screen TVs and may not look as good when mounted on a wall.
Curved TVs disappearing from South African shelves
While there are clear pros and cons with curved TVs, the biggest question is whether there is enough demand from consumers for this technology.
When looking at the shelves of retailers stocking TVs and listening to some manufacturers, curved TVs are facing a grim future.
Even at large retailers like Makro and Dion Wired, there are very few curved TVs on offer.
There is a good reason for this. LG stopped manufacturing curved TVs in 2017 and announced this decision at CES that year.
“The main reason for stopping our rollout of Curved TV screens was based on consumer preference,” LG told MyBroadband.
The company added that it has not had many customer queries for curved models since deciding to solely focus on flat-screen TVs.
Samsung curved TV plans
It is interesting to note that there is only one brand of curved TV on offer from Dion Wired and Makro – Samsung.
Samsung South Africa’s director of consumer electronics Nithia Pillay told MyBroadband that the company continues to offer its curved TV range in the country.
However, based on consumer feedback, Samsung has noted that South Africans do have a preference for flat-screen TVs.
“We, therefore, focus on consumer demand. Our QLED range caters to this affinity for TVs that mount flush against a wall,” said Pillay.
“We do, however, continue to serve the niche market that enjoys the unique benefits of curved TVs.”
3D TVs gone
The decline of curved TVs in South Africa follows a similar decline of 3D TVs after Samsung, LG, and Sony dropped 3D support for their displays.
In 2017, Makro’s marketing director Melanie van Rooy said they have not seen significant demand for 3D TVs in their stores.
Hisense SA also told MyBroadband that the demand for 3D TVs in South Africa has declined, which has resulted in the death of this technology.
The same is now happening in the curved TV market, and the result may be the same.
In other news – Bonang Matheba wants to open a school in Soweto
In an attempt to create a better space for the girl child, TV personality Bonang Matheba wants to open a primary school in Soweto. In June, Queen B shared a tweet that she was certain of her dream of eventually being able to build a school. “I’ve always wanted to build a school. Seems like it’s actually gonna happen.
In a sit-down interview with TshisaLIVE recently, Bonang expressed how she felt it was her country’s duty to help equip young girls with the education they deserved. continue reading
Source: mybroadband
