Samsung's Next Big Thing: A Flexible TV That Goes Flat In 7 Seconds

Samsung has seen its "next big thing:" the South Korean-based electronics giant will start taking orders Friday for a $34,000 flexible LCD TV screen.

If curved TVs were last year's rage, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (KRX:005930) is trying to up the ante in hopes it can create a new upgrade cycle of TVs that starts at the high end and then trickles down to the everyday consumer.

The annoucement came as Samsung reported shrinking profits for its second quarter due to increased competiton in the smartphone market.

As 4K and Ultra High-Definition (UHD) sets become more widespread (and following the failure of 3-D TVs), Samsung is looking for a leg up on rivals like LG, Sony and Panasonic. With its latest, Samsung offers a bendable 4K set (UN78S9B) that goes from curved to flat in about 7 seconds.

Samsung said the TV will also feature UHD Dimming, where backlit LEDs are used selectively, turning off when not in use for more accurate brightness than the fluorescent lighting found in standard LCD displays.

Samsung said that it will put the bendable TV on display at the Lotte Department Store in Jamsil and Samsung Digital Plaza in Gangnam. While it previously said it would ship an 85-inch model (U9B) sometime this year, Samsung has set no release date for foreign markets.

The UN78S9B features 3840 x 2160 resolution, which is technically not true 4K resolution (4096 x 2160). However, the two terms are used interchangeably in the industry, as seen in this About.com article.

Due to the set's high price, Samsung is unlikely to sell its first flexible TV to consumers. TV technologies tend to decrease in price over time. Will your next TV flex, or is the display tech overrated?