LG is catching up with Samsung in the “lifestyle” TV world, adding a new model to its LG OLED Objet collection, which launched last year. The new Posé is a slim look at Samsung’s Serif; it is available in 42-inch, 48-inch and 55-inch screen sizes and launched in the third quarter of 2022, starting in Europe.
Posé joins the 65-inch tripod, which was announced at CES (then called Objet), which is designed to look like an art tripod and has a sliding fabric cover to cover the screen. Both can display artwork or photos when not in use.
But what is lifestyle TV? Why does the TV look good in our homes? “It looks good when it’s in the middle of my living room” seems to be a key consideration when buying a TV, just like it is when buying a sofa. Of course, this is along with the other key features; bigger than my neighbor’s, better sound, excellent picture quality and doesn’t require me to take out a loan to pay it off. But instead, TV makers have convinced us that a giant black rectangle in the middle of our home is the norm.
Whether you like the look of the Posé or the tripod, none of which I would put in my home, the popularity of Samsung’s The Frame TV makes the black rectangle a compelling-looking work of art when not in use (and I have at home mi), shows clearly that there is an appetite for good design. But the current options are either expensive or sacrifice some of the features you want in your TV.
Easel is a lifestyle TV that leans against the wall. Image: LG
Although there are no prices for them yet, both of LG’s new TVs have OLED evo technology used in the company’s premium models, so they will probably be expensive. The company’s 65-inch LG G2 Gallery Edition costs $ 3,200, more than $ 2,000 more than Samsung’s 65-inch The Frame, which opts for a cheaper display than Samsung’s higher-end models. The frame also sacrifices features such as local dimming, while paying about 30 percent premium for design-oriented things, such as built-in mounting and hidden all wires and connections.
Posé is the smaller, therefore probably cheaper than LG’s two new options. The free TV is in your living room, like Serif. But it’s thinner than Samsung’s option, which has a thicker frame around it that can serve as a shelf. Posé has LG’s Gallery mode for displaying works of art or photos on its self-illuminating digital canvas, similar to The Frame’s photo display capabilities. It also has an “efficient cable management system” to minimize congestion. However, we assume that there is a wire somewhere, not that LG has developed an option for wireless power supply, as the image in the press suggests.
LG is unveiling its two new art TVs at the Salone dei Tessuti during Milan Design Week, hinting at its target audience. But lifestyle TVs don’t have to be just ambitious. TV production has long been a leader’s game and there are hundreds of budget options that provide much of what high-end brands do. But there are still only a few models that try to fit into your home as furniture or art and are not just ugly black rectangles. 2022 is a long time for all TV manufacturers to step up and give us more affordable and better-looking choices for the biggest screen in our homes.
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