Television makers throw consumers a curveball

Every year we witness brands trying to create products that will help them to stand out in the crowd and, in essence, become the catalyst for change. So far, 2014 has undoubtedly been the year of the “form factor”.

Last year, TV companies hedged their bets on 3D, but sales did not reflect their high hopes. As such, it was back to the drawing board. So for 2014, they have decided to try their luck with curved displays – a development that has so far garnered mixed reviews.

The technology is certainly advancing at a rapid pace. For example, there are even TVs out there that bend at the push of a button, thus going from flat to curved and back again at your very command.

But while there are those who believe that this new form factor delivers a better, more immersive viewing experience, others are of the opinion that this is nothing but a gimmick that will cost the consumer more for little or no added value.

Regardless of the prevailing opinions, TV makers are continuing to churn out these new curved displays, and with each passing month the prices fall a little further. That said, it will be quite some time before their price points drop to the levels currently occupied by more traditional displays.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect about curved TVs is that their application is trickling down to other forms of technology, with PC monitors a case in point. This segment of the market has not had it easy in recent times, with IDC data showing that shipments continue to decline each year. As a result, vendors are doing all they can to remain relevant by coming up with new ways to reach out and appeal to the masses.

Taking their cue from the TV segment, some PC monitor vendors are looking to turn the tide by introducing curved displays of their own. LG and Dell are two of the big players to have done so, and I expect other brands to follow suit in the coming months.

For this form factor in the PC monitor segment, companies are tailoring their attention towards gamers. This makes sense, given how close users are to the screen. Imagine playing a racing game where the screen wraps around you, and even in your peripheral vision you can sense the game’s surroundings whizzing by.

And this transfer of technology does not end there. Indeed, at the forefront of this trend has been one of the hottest tech segments of 2014 – the smartwatch. Vendors have been churning out smartwatch after smartwatch since the beginning of the year in an attempt to figure out what exactly works for the customer base. And after initially going mainly with square or rectangular displays, they are now increasingly moving towards the more traditional circular watch face, with some brands also adding curved displays to their designs.

At the IFA 2014 trade show in Berlin, for example, Samsung and Asus both released rectangular smartwatches with curved displays. The technology makes perfect sense for this segment as it aids in contouring to the shape of the wrist, in essence helping to mould the device aesthetically. And the factor of aesthetics cannot be underestimated or ignored, as watches are first and foremost fashion statements.

Moving on to smartphones, a number of curved devices were unveiled last year. Samsung's Galaxy Round and LG's G Flex were two examples, with the former featuring a curve from side to side and the latter curving from top to bottom. In both cases, this new design feature did very little to add any extra value.

Undeterred, Samsung recently unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy Note 4 line-up at IFA 2014. And while the vendor's flagship phone-tablet hybrid retains its traditional look, there has also been a new addition to the family in the form of the Galaxy Note Edge. In essence, the Galaxy Note Edge is almost identical to the Galaxy Note 4; however, it sports a slightly smaller screen with a curved display that runs down the right-hand side of the device and showcases commonly used apps, tickers, updates, shortcuts, and so forth. The device will ship to select markets later this year, but only after the Galaxy Note 4.

Although only a few uses have been showcased, Samsung has the world intrigued for what else is possible on a curved screen such as this.

One such example is taking photos on a clean canvas with the buttons and settings sitting on top of the curve and providing an uninhibited view of the shot you want to take. Or seeing notification and the stock ticker from whatever app you are in without ever having to leave.

We are only at the beginning of the journey for curved displays, but I am convinced that they are here to stay. The look and feel of curved devices certainly helps them stand out from the crowd, providing users with an X factor of sorts. And while the curves may currently be rather minimal, the rate of technological innovation will ensure that this level of modesty will not last for much longer.

Saad ElKhadem is a research analyst at IDC Middle East and Africa.

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