LG's new mind-bending screen stretches the limits of display tech

The South Korean gadget maker's top display boffins have shown off a new prototype flexible LED screen that can be stretched by up to 50% of its size – more than any other bendy panel to date, claims LG.

It means that if its starting size of 12 inches isn't big enough (no smirking at the back), then the panel can be elongated to 18.

It supports full red, green, and blue (RGB) colour, and has a resolution of 100 pixels per inch (ppi). That's not exactly the highest-definition screen – Apple's new iPhone 16 boasts 460 ppi – but you've got to start somewhere.

To achieve its pliant properties, LG employs a special silicon substrate that can also be found in contact lenses.

When combined with a newly-designed wiring structure and tiny LEDs that are just 40 micrometres (μm) in size – half the thickness of a human hair – you end up with a flexible display that can withstand more than 10,000 stretchings – to use a technical term – and function when exposed to extreme temperatures and external shocks.

So what's the point of all this?

LG says that flexible panels can adhere to a broader range of irregularly curved surfaces like clothing and skin. It expects them to be widely applied in various industries, from fashion and wearables to mobility.

LG showcased two use case concepts at the LG Science Park – an in-car touchscreen that stretches into a convex shape, and a wearable display attached to a firefighter's uniform that provides real-time information.

Presumably the technology could also find its way into phones and related tech – which might lead to the welcome and much-needed return of interesting smartphone form-factors.

Then there's advertising.

Outdoor video display adverts are currently constrained by the requirement for flat, regularly-shaped surfaces. Technology that can turn almost any surface into a screen and therefore overcome this limitation is likely to be highly prized by the ad industry.

Of course there's also the much-maligned but undeniably-hilarious novelty t-shirt market to consider. That's probably one for the future - once manufacturing costs have come down a bit. However, as LG points out, its flexible screens did feature on various apparel during Seoul Fashion Week in September.

LG's work on stretchable displays began in earnest in 2020, when it was chosen to lead a national project focused specifically on this particular technology. Since then, it has been engaged in joint R&D projects with 19 industry players and research institutes.

The project is backed by Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), and the Korea Planning and Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology.

"The collaborative efforts of industry, academia, and research institutions have opened new horizons for the future of the display industry," LG said. "With stretchable displays showing limitless potential across various fields, LG Display will continue its research and development to deliver greater customer experiences and innovative value."