CES 2013: OLED and Ultra HD will dominate TV

What are we expecting for TVs at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for 2013? OLED, OLED and OLED, with a little Ultra HD on the side.

CES 2013 is just a fortnight away, and CNET Australia will be there, bringing you all the coverage from before and during the show.

But as CES looms, we thought we'd take a quick look at what we expect to see from the show this year, at least in terms of TV technology.

Last year, there was a lot of buzz about OLED — LG even won CNET Australia's Best of CES award for its 55-inch OLED TV. We expected to see it on the market this year, but, of course, nothing arrived. The same goes for Samsung's OLED, too.

We've heard from some TV manufacturers that the biggest problem with LG is panel failure — at the sizes currently seen as average in the marketplace, the manufacturer process produces a surprisingly large amount of unusable panels, making an expensive proposition for the TV companies. The past year would have been spent trying to streamline and improve this process.

So, we're expecting to see a lot more OLED this year — Samsung and LG might have the same panels on display again, but we think it's more likely that we'll see some different sizes and at least one or two other companies showing off an OLED panel.

Will we also see some pricing estimates for the new TV technology? Yes — we think that at the very least, Samsung and LG will give out some ballpark figures on their flagship OLEDs.

We've said before that the technology formerly known as 4K will have an expanded offering, and CES 2013 is where we'll see some of those TVs.

While people remain divided over whether Ultra HD is the next generational leap that its proponents want it to be, it certainly seems to be on the move, with two TVs in Australia and even an Ultra HD video player being readied internationally.

With companies like Hisense and Changhong both committing to Ultra HD panels in 2013, smaller sizes and lower prices might make this an appealing option for some.

Other than that? Expect an emphasis on smart TV, with more apps and better network integration, and be ready for new screen sizes. As 55 inches slowly becomes the new 42 inches, the only limit on TV size in the near future may well be your lounge room.