Premium LCD TVs made by Samsung Electronics and TCL will likely feature much wider viewing angles next year, as they’re going to implement an upgraded display technology.
The next generation WHVA LCD display technology is made by TCL CSOT, the display making subsidiary of TCL Electronics, and it’s said to be superior to traditional VA LCD panels.
The display maker says the WHVA panels significantly improve both colour and contrast when viewed from wider angles, solving one of the key pain points that has long afflicted LCD displays.
The narrow viewing angles are apparent even on premium LCD TVs, such as Samsung’s Neo QLED models that use Mini-LED technology with thousands of local dimming zones to improve contrast and brightness. The issue has become more acute as large TV sizes become more popular among consumers, increasing the need for a solution.
At its recent annual partner conference, TCL CSOT showed off some of its first WHVA LCD panels, and confirmed to Flatpanels HD that the technology will be used by both TCL and Samsung Electronics in their high-end 2025 TV models. Samsung has become one of TCL CSOT’s biggest customers, after its display-making subsidiary Samsung Display shut down its last LCD production facility.
The WHVA LCD panels on show at the event included an 85-inch display with an improved 150Hz refresh rate. TCL CSOT said it supports wider viewing angles of up to 178 degrees, which is a significant improvement on existing LCD displays.
Neither Samsung nor TCL have yet said anything about the new panels, so it’s not yet clear which televisions will feature them. But it’s fair to assume that it will definitely be present on the more premium models they launch next year.
Another thing that’s not really clear at this stage is how, exactly, the WHVA technology overcomes LCD’s wide angle weaknesses. Some of the TV industry’s best minds have been trying to figure out solutions for years already. For instance, Sony has developed a special X-Wide Angle technology for its Mini-LED TVs, which is an additional layer added onto the panels. But while it does improve the viewing angles, it can only do so at the expense of resolution, and has left many consumers dissatisfied.
Samsung has tried a different approach, but its method of improving viewing angles has a negative impact on its TV’s contrast ratios, so once again, the solution is far from ideal.
Hopefully, we’ll learn more about how the new WHVA technology works at CES 2025 in January, when Samsung and TCL are expected to announce their new TV lineups.
