TVs need cables for power, to receive audio/visual signals, and connect to additional devices. However, none of these is absolutely mandatory based on our current technical capacity, and so having a completely wireless TV is only a matter of implementing new technologies to a new concept. Apparently, Samsung will be the first to do just that, as a recently published patent filed by Samsung Electronics with the World Intellectual Property Office shows how the South Korean tech giant envisions such a device.
Since last year, Samsung has been offering a new high-end model that incorporated their “One Invisible Connection” system which is basically a single cable to transmit both power and AV data. The utterly wireless iteration goes a step further, using a powering base and built-in solenoid coils that wound in both directions so as to allow the TV to draw adequate power out of the generated electromagnetic field. Using a wireless power transceiver makes sense when you want to remove cables, but unfortunately and inevitably, it introduces a couple of new problems.
For example, energy consumption and heat generated from the wasted power will both rise, and in cases of CPU-intensive operations such as 8K content playback, things may get unusually hot and/or somewhat laggy. Of course, Samsung’s designers and engineers will take steps to remedy these drawbacks and deliver a wireless TV that works seamlessly for sure, but the cost of doing that will then be another interesting question. Will the freedom from cables be worth the price? Well, that’s always the case with novel technologies and pioneering solutions, and it’s likely that such implementations won’t be for everyone out there.
As far as the possible release date for such a wireless TV model goes, no one knows Samsung’s plans, and so we may not see a wireless TV getting launched soon. However, considering the previous steps taken by the company, it is likely that they will present at least a concept of this type within the year. The IFA starts on September 6 this year, and if nothing pops up there, we’ll postpone our hopes for the next CES on January 7, 2020. Other rumors suggest that the company is working on their “rolling” answer to LG’s “Signature R”, a smart mirror TV, and even a transparent one.
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