LG Display’s stretchable screen is now even stretchier

LG Display has recently announced a new version of its unique stretchable display with improved elasticity and durability. The 12-inch prototype can now be stretched up to 18 inches without being destroyed in the process, opening up new possibilities for where screens can potentially be installed.

The company first demonstrated a prototype of the display in 2022, but at the time it could only be stretched from 12 to 14 inches, or about 20 percent of its length. The latest prototype features a “new wiring design structure” and an improved silicon substrate — similar to the material used to make contact lenses — to expand the panel’s stretchability to up to 50 percent.

Built using micro LEDs, the new prototype is capable of displaying full RGB colors at a resolution of 100ppi, and is more resilient than previous versions. According to LG Display, it “can be repeatedly stretched over 10,000 times, maintaining clear image quality even in extreme environments such as exposure to low or high temperatures and external shocks.”

Although flexible displays have been available to consumers for years now in folding smartphones and even TVs that roll up out of sight, LG Display hasn’t announced any commercial applications for its stretchable screen yet. But the company expects there to be many uses for the technology, including wearable displays integrated into clothing without compromising comfort, or infotainment screens in cars that can conform to the curves or shape of a dashboard without limiting the interior design of a vehicle.