LG calls Samsung’s bluff, proposing public demonstrations





LG on Thursday touched off a second round in the ongoing 3-D TV war by challenging Samsung to a public demonstration as tension grew between the two rivals who have been engaged in serious bashing over 3-D technology.

“It is our wish to see (our) competition come out for a demonstration," said LG Display’s chief executive Kwon Young-soo in a press conference significantly designed to refute Samsung’s latest criticism toward its new 3-D TV lineup.

He said LG was willing to come forward to demonstrations involving both experts and consumers.

The competition Kwon mentioned was Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest TV-maker and a big rival for LG, which follows in second place.

Kwon also called on Samsung to refrain from further mudslinging and set an example for fair competition.

Bristling from the taunting remarks, Samsung said it would definitely consider a demonstration, but stressed it would have to be arranged in such a way as to prevent further mudslinging.

“We have never said we would come out to demonstration,” said Cho Yong-woo, a spokesman for Samsung Electronics. “However, it needs to be arranged so that we can end this consuming battle.” 

He also said Samsung wants to move onto the next level of TVs, which are smart TVs that give viewers simultaneous access to the internet.

On the same day, Samsung Visual Display president Yoon Boo-keun, on his way to Africa on a business trip, said there was no reason to shy away from demonstrations, but said it has already been proven that Samsung is superior, citing assessments from top IT research institutions.

He called on LG to stop the “futile arguments” and together move forward to compete in the global smart device industry.

Samsung recently raised eyebrows for backing out of 3-D TV demonstrations arranged by the state-run Korea Communications Commission. Samsung’s TVs were to be pitted against LG’s, which were manufactured using its new film-type patterned retarder panels.

LG on Thursday claimed it has attained recognition from several different credible institutions that contradict Samsung’s claims and that its new line of 3-D TVs indeed allow full-HD -- the highest picture quality available on a TV.

Kwon also went on to stress that even health-wise, LG’s 3-D TVs were better than Samsung’s.

“By using FPR technology, our TVs have become flicker-free and have minimum crosswalk,” he said. “Further, they are capable of showing 3-D vision from all sides and angles, although the images become slightly distorted when viewers are lying horizontal,” he said.

Kwon pointed out that the screen goes completely black when viewers try to watch Samsung’s TVs from a horizontal position.

Backing his claims up with reports and studies, Kwon cited surveys showing that most experts who participated gave higher points to LG in most aspects, including picture quality.

The war between the world’s top two TV rivals started to brew after LG Display in February month introduced its Cinema 3-D TV using FPR.

LG predicted that this technology would soon dominate the market, with shutter-glass being pushed back as an outdated technology.

In a press meeting Tuesday, Samsung blatantly criticized LG and its claims, saying shutter-glass is still the dominant technology that offers better picture quality.



By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)