India's largest telecom operator Reliance Jio is offering a new range of prepaid plans that come bundled with unrestricted access to all content on Disney+ Hotstar, starting from Rs 499.
Jio’s new plans, in addition to offering 1 year subscription of Disney+ Hotstar, comes bundled with unlimited voice, data, SMS, Jio Apps and other benefits, a company statement said.
Jio earlier bundled Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription (access to live sports, Hotstar specials, movies and TV shows and dubbed content in 3 Indian languages) in its plans that started from Rs 401.
The new Jio plans will offer all the old benefits on Disney+ Hotstar plus new library of international content in English language including Disney+ originals, TV shows from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, HBO, FX, Showtime.
(Image credit: Reliance)
The new plans will be available for recharge from today (September 1, 2021.)
All Jio customers on active Disney+ Hotstar plans will continue to enjoy the existing benefits until their current subscription expires.
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Global payments powerhouse PayPal may be considering expanding into the retail investing business, reports have claimed.
According to CNBC, the company is considering allowing its users to trade stocks and has, to that end, hired brokerage industry veteran Rich Hagen. After leaving his position of CEO at Ally Invest, Hagen joined Invest at PayPal, a brand new division about which there are very few details at the moment, although his LinkedIn account notes Hagen is tasked with “exploring opportunities” in the consumer investment business.
This is in line with what PayPal CEO Dan Schulman said during the company’s investor day in February 2021 when discussing his long-term vision, which included the possibility of including “investment capabilities” as part of the company’s offerings.
This is far from PayPal’s first foray into investing. Last year it expanded into the cryptocurrency market, slowly allowing an increasing number of users to buy, hold and sell bitcoin.
This service was recently extended into the UK, allowing Brits to buy or sell bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum or litecoin.
Retail trading
The popularization of cryptocurrencies has had a side-effect - growing awareness of the possibility of retail investment and trading, where ordinary individuals are able to easily trade everything from stocks, to precious metals, to cryptocurrencies.
The trend reached its peak when a group of retail investors, organized on a Reddit subforum, “shorted” GameStop stocks, leaving WallStreet with billions in losses.
“It has been doing really well in the U.S.,” Jose Fernandez da Ponte, PayPal’s general manager for blockchain, crypto and digital currencies, told CNBC, when asked about the company’s crypto services. “We expect it’s going to do well in the U.K.”.
“The tokens and coins have been around for a while but you had to be a relatively sophisticated user to be able to access that,” da Ponte said. “Having that on a platform like ours makes a really good entry point.”
It might take a while for PayPal to kick things off, though, and it’s unlikely the service will be available this year.
New images and details about Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City have been released, thanks to a new interview with writer and director Johannes Roberts at IGN.
Roberts, known for his work on 47 Meters Down and The Strangers: Prey at Night, promised fans that this reboot would focus on horror rather than the sci-fi action of previous films – with a story and characters that more closely match what fans know from the Resident Evil games.
These comments are sure to excite plenty of those who adore Resident Evil, as will the images showing off our first look at iconic characters like Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and her brother Chris Redfield – each bearing some resemblance to their video game appearances.
Still, while some fans will be eagerly anticipating Welcome to Racoon City, we aren’t quite sold on it based on this first look.
While Roberts is saying the right things with references to how Resident Evil 2 Remake, The Exorcist, and The Shining all provided inspiration for his movie, we can’t help but feel nervous. It could just be that the long history of terrible video game adaptations has worn us down (especially with respect to Resident Evil), but we aren’t optimistic for how this flick will fare – and this isn't just based on our past experiences of seeing games make it to the big screen.
Zombies aren’t all we should worry about
(Image credit: IGN / Sony Pictures)
Welcome to Raccoon City will supposedly combine the stories of Resident Evil 1 and 2 into a single film. At first glance, this doesn’t appear to be a bad idea given how much the adventures tie together, but this certainly wouldn’t be our choice of games to intertwine.
Resident Evil 1’s horror is driven by the unknown. Sure, the S.T.A.R.S. operatives are expertly trained fighters, but the monsters they encounter on the grounds of an abandoned mansion are completely new to them and the player. The claustrophobic corridors and halls of the setting create the perfect hiding spots for creatures to lie in wait, and our heroes have to explore further in order to discover the origins of the monsters that hunt them.
Meanwhile, Resident Evil 2 induces a sense of hopelessness with its apocalyptic-style, city-scale horror adventure. We know about the zombies from the start, and we (for the most part) know how to kill them – but the sheer number of mutated abominations swarming the city center creates an insurmountable threat that Leon and Claire have no real hope of defeating. The situation feels especially dire for our protagonists as any allies they meet are quick to suffer some terrible fate, a possible harbinger of doom for our heroes.
One starts as a haunted house story, and the other is about a city already on the brink of total ruin. There are definite points of cross-over and similarity between the tales, but making them work in tandem tonally will be a big challenge for Roberts. Then there's the question, of course, of whether the games' stories have enough meat on their bones to make for a great movie.
As a veteran horror director and writer, Johannes Roberts could be the creator who ensures this adventure works as a cohesive unit but, unfortunately, his past body of work doesn’t instill us with confidence. Horror is always divisive as not everyone will find the same scenarios as scary as someone else, but his past movies are generally rated mixed-to-negative on Rotten Tomatoes (with films like The Strangers: Prey at Night and 47 Metres Down rated just 40% and 53% respectively on the site).
(Image credit: IGN / Sony Pictures)
Finally, and most jarringly, we have that the released stills that make the characters look like mediocre cosplayers. While the outfits worn by Kaya Scodelario and Avan Jogia as Clair and Leon would wow at a Halloween Party, we expected more from the budget of a full-length cinematic feature.
We know that the addition of effects and acting could help to sell the look when the full film arrives, but it’s yet another factor that makes us sit on the more pessimistic end of the scale. That being said, we want it to be good – and we'd be happy to take back our skepticism if it reviews well.
Distributor Sony Pictures will likely be desperate for this film to succeed, and not just to ensure the movies' box office draw. Sony's next big video game adaptation is 2022's Uncharted, starring Tom Holland, and it won't want to put viewers off seeing more adaptations of their favorite games with a Resident Evil misfire.
We’ll have to just wait and see what Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City has in-store for us when it releases in cinemas on November 24 (US), November 25 (Australia), and December 3 (UK).
- Release date expected in late 2021 or early 2022
- Filming began earlier in 2021
- Four additional cast members announced in August 2021
- Two special episodes released between the two seasons
- Will air on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic in the UK
Spoilers follow for Euphoria season 1.
Euphoria season 2 is coming to HBO – and while it doesn't have a release date yet, production began earlier in 2021, meaning you don't have much longer to wait to see it.
Fans will be excited to hear that the highly anticipated follow-up to 2019’s breakout first season and the more recent specials from late 2020 and early 2021 is finally happening after being delayed by Covid-19. Euphoria’s first season premiered in June 2019, and was such a massive success that it was renewed for a second season before the first had even aired its finale.
The show went on to be nominated for a BAFTA and a TCA Award for its stunning first season, as well as earn lead actor Zendaya the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series. The first season followed high schooler Rue (played by Zendaya) over her recovery from drug addiction, as her and her classmates tackled sex, drugs, love, catfishing… and a lot of trauma. Season 2, we're sure, will only get more intense.
Here's what we know about Euphoria season 2 so far.
Release date: Euphoria season 2 is expected in either late 2021 or early 2022.
Cast: As well as the returning cast of the first season, Euphoria is adding the actors Minka Kelly, Dominic Fike and Demetrius 'Lil Meech' Flenory Jr to its cast this season – possibly in recurring roles.
Where will it air? If you're in the US, you'll be able to watch Euphoria on HBO, as well as the HBO Max streaming app. In the UK, you can expect to see it on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
Euphoria season 2 was originally due to start filming in March 2020, but was postponed only days away from production due to Covid-19. In an interview with InStyle in August 2020, Zendaya said, “There is a beautiful second season that has been written, but in order to do it the way we want to do it, we need to wait until it's safer."
Euphoria season 2 was back in production by Spring 2022. On 4 May 2021, Zendaya shared photos from the set to her Instagram story, captioning a photo of Angus Cloud, who plays Fez in the show, with "Missed this kid," and another photo of the crew with, “And these kids.” The actress followed it up with, “Just being back in general… missed it.” tagging the official Euphoria page.
Meanwhile, Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie, posted a photo to Instagram on 24th March this year, from the grooming chair in what looks like glam Cassie hair and makeup, with the simple caption, “She’s backkk.”
So, with filming underway, when can we expect season 2 to premiere on HBO?
The show’s creator and showrunner, Sam Levinson revealed in an early 2021 interview with IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast that he planned to start filming Euphoria season 2 in late March – and according to the cast’s social media posts, this plan appears to be on track. In that same interview, Levinson revealed, “The goal is to release episodes this year, so that’s hopefully [when they will be released].”
Variety, though, mentioned in an article about new cast additions that late 2021 or early 2022 were the likely premiere dates. When it does release, we can expect it to air on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic and Now in the UK, as the first one and its specials did.
Euphoria season 2 cast
(Image credit: HBO/Eddy Chen)
One of the biggest questions at the end of season 1 was around Rue’s fate: the series ended with Rue backing out of her plan to leave town with Jules, followed by a surreal and haunting song and dance number set to “All of Us," an original song by Zendaya. Many thought the final scenes could be interpreted as Rue relapsing – possibly fatally.
But, of course, we know that Zendaya is returning for season 2, and we know that Rue is still alive thanks to the first of the specials, released in December 2020, which revealed that she was still in her hometown, without Jules, but that her sobriety had faltered.
Similarly, though the final moments of season 1 saw Jules leave town for the city after Rue pulled out of their plan to run away together, in the second of the specials, we learn that Jules is back home, where she is also visited by Rue for the first time since, right after Rue’s earlier meeting with Ali.
The exact cast list of the second season hasn’t been revealed by HBO yet, but we can expect the major players of season 1’s ensemble cast to return, including:
Zendaya as Rue Bennett
Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn
Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard
Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs
Barbie Ferreira as Kat Hernandez
Angus Cloud as Fez
Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez
Nika King as Leslie Bennett
Storm Reid as Gia Bennett
Algee Smith as Christopher McKay
Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard
Eric Dane as Cal Jacobs
Colman Domingo as Ali
Minka Kelly as TBA
Dominic Fike as TBA
Demetrius 'Lil Meech' Flenory Jr as TBA
We can expect new faces to join the ensemble, too. Deadline reported that Minka Kelly,
Euphoria season 2: how many episodes will there be?
The length of Euphoria season 2 hasn’t been confirmed yet, but for now we can assume it will be the same length as the first season, which was eight episodes, each around an hour long.
Euphoria season 2 story: what will happen next?
(Image credit: HBO)
Off the back of the season 1 finale and the two following specials, we know that Rue is alive and that Jules has returned to her suburban home from the city. So, what’s likely to happen next to the group?
The plot details of the second season are being kept tightly under wraps – but thankfully, we have been served some tantalizing hints from the cast about each of their own characters in the new season.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules, revealed that she wants Jules to focus more on herself next season – though that’s likely to get messy. She said, "I think I want to continue to see Jules work on herself in that she’s still got some major issues, and to continue to dissect that and feel it out. I think she learns from experiencing things. And so to experience what she needs to, without being messy, that’s from the sort of loving parent/sister relationship I feel like I have with her. That’s what I want for her, although who knows how it will play out. I’m sure it will be more messy than I would hope for her."
We can expect Rue’s younger sister, Gia, to have a larger role this season, too. Storm Reid, who plays her, said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “I feel like you’ll be seeing a lot more Gia in the second season.” Meanwhile, speaking to Yahoo, Reid revealed, “[Gia’s] character definitely develops... She becomes her own person and she gets her own storyline. I don't want to give too much away, but she will definitely be more prominent in season 2.”
And after a rather traumatic first season, Cassie will have a particularly “crazy” storyline, actress Sydney Sweeney has teased. Speaking to Stylecaster, the actress hinted at what that could entail. "I can tease that, when you ask about season 2, my heart drops. In a you-guys-have-no-idea-what-you’re-going-to-watch way… Cassie really needs to get her shit together. I can’t say anything else. Cassie has a crazy storyline in season 2 that I did not expect. Every time I read a new episode that Sam writes, my jaw is on the ground and I can’t believe this is something coming out of someone’s mind."
You've got plenty to look forward to in this next set of episodes, then – whenever it is they get here, anyway.
Euphoria season 1 and its specials are streaming now on HBO Max in the US.
With the launch of Windows 11 now just a matter of weeks away, Microsoft has apparently been hard at work giving some of its most-used tools more of a refresh.
The company has revealed that Microsoft Edge is set for a Windows 11-friendly makeover that should make it less annoying to scroll through your favorite web pages.
What's more, the web browser will be looking even more intuitive thanks to a new design that hides those pesky scrollbars from view when you don't need them.
The new design for scrollbars on Microsoft Edge in Windows 11 features a slimmed-down design that should take up less space - giving you more room for the pages you want to actually see.
The new "overlay scrollbars" match the look of several other apps we've seen in Windows 11 so far, including the redesigned File Explorer and Settings tools.
In order to experience the new look, you'll need to be a member of the Edge Insider program, and be running the latest Canary build of Edge. Once this is running, access the Edge flags menu, search for "Overlay scrollbars" and select the flag to enable the feature.
The news is the latest upgrade to Edge as Microsoft looks to make its browser ready for Windows 11.
Recently, the company revealed Canary users could enable another flag called "Enable Windows 11 Visual Updates", which would allow "in-progress visuals appropriate for your currently installed version of Windows" to appear - meaning users will get the latest upgrades as soon as possible.
Microsoft has also recently begun telling Windows 10 testers whether their PC is compatible for an upgrade to Windows 11 using the recently revamped preview version of Microsoft’s PC Health Check tool. Assuming all is well, useres will receive the following message: “Great news – your PC meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11. Specific timing for when it will be offered can vary as we get it ready for you. Note: Some Windows 10 features aren’t available in Windows 11. Certain apps and features may have additional requirements.”
Showcasing the Fluent design language and more, the new upgrade can also be tried out on the Insider channels, ready to download and use on machines that meet the minimum requirements.
There is also a huge redesign of the Microsoft Store, allowing Android apps from the Amazon App Store to be used, so you can download TikTok and other apps if you wish.
Plenty of discoveries are still being made with the updated Insider build and from what Microsoft are confirming with other vendors and users, but we're making sure that we're updating this page with everything that's been confirmed so far.
Since the Insider build was released, there's been many more updates for the dev channel, where it brings back the search bar to the start menu, more refinements to the new design across the menus, alongside better multi-monitor support for the taskbar, alongside many fixes.
There's still some confusion as to the system requirements of what Windows 11 needs for your PC, mainly due to a component called TPM, but it looks as though Microsoft are looking into this as the final release nears.
While we wait for its October release, here's everything we know about the release date, the new features, and more for Windows 11.
Cut to the chase
What is it? Windows 11 is the successor to Windows 10
When is it out? October 5
How much does it cost? Free
Windows 11 release date
Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11 is launching on October 5 as a free upgrade, with eligible devices being notified from them on.
Messages in previous press shots were stating how Windows was "turning it up to 11 in October!"
The company also confirmed that its PC Health Check tool will be updated closer to the launch of Windows 11, so you can see whether your own device is eligible to upgrade.
Windows 11 is due out later in 2021 and will be delivered over several months. The rollout of the upgrade to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 through the first half of that year.June 25, 2021
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There is also going to be a yearly update of the new operating system, similar to Apple's efforts with macOS.
While Microsoft released a tool that allowed you to see if your desktop PC or laptop will be able to run Windows 11, it was confirmed to be buggy, giving erroneous results for machines that would have no problem in running the update.
However, another tool has been released which gives you much clearer detail for how eligible for PC is.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
How to download Windows 11
Microsoft have updated the Insider build named 22000.132 on the developer channel, so if you want to give it a try, we have a handy guide all about how to download Windows 11.
The build is now widely available on the beta channel, showcasing more refinements across the board, including the Microsoft Store.
Before you do though, the best point of call would be to make sure that your PC is enrolled for Microsoft's Insider Program first, as long as it meets the requirements.
But do be aware, we advise to only run it on a PC that's not your main machine, as there are plenty of small issues for now.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
In the meantime, vendors such as Lenovo have released some guidance to other users who have machines running Windows 7 and above, that it may be a free upgrade, but with a caveat.
There's even an option to downgrade to Windows 10 if you are experiencing issues with Windows 11. This is available in the current Insider builds, but you can only do it within 10 days of upgrading your machine, otherwise a clean install has to be done in order to go to Windows 10.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Minimum Specifications
There's been a lot of discussion as to which devices are eligible for Windows 11. Regardless of the TPM requirement, others are simply wondering if they need to look to upgrade their PC or laptop soon.
For now, Microsoft have published the requirements for the update, but they are subject to change as we near release and the company take feedback on board.
Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with at least two cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module 2.0
Graphics Card: DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Display: 720p, 8-bit per color channel, at least 9-inch diagonal
Internet Connection and Microsoft Account: Windows 11 Home requires an active internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete initial, first-use setup of the operating system, or when switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S-mode.
(Image credit: Future)
How much is Windows 11?
Windows 11 will be a free update for existing Windows users – you'll need to be online to download, install and activate Home versions, and you'll need to have a Microsoft account when installing it on or upgrading your PC or tablet.
So far Microsoft have released the hardware requirements for Windows 11, but there's confusion over TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and whether the company are pushing hard over the minimum threshold for which devices are eligible to be updated to the new version.
While we've got a handy explainer for you that goes into TPM, hardware vendors can still offer new machines with Windows 11 that won't need this requirement, albeit with good reason to.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Windows 11 features
There are improvements across the board in Windows 11, with Microsoft promising that updates will be 40% smaller, and touting Windows 11 as "the most secure release yet".
The taskbar is optimized for touch as well as mouse peripherals, and is now renamed the dock.
New multitasking features are also on offer thanks to a feature called Snap Layouts, which enables you to arrange multiple windows across the screen, not just side by side, but in columns, sections and more.
There's now a much-improved health check app found in Settings, where Windows 11 will recommend you to turn down the brightness for example, change the power saving mode of the battery and much more.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Another feature is Snap Groups, where you can go back to previously snapped windows from the dock, so for example you can go to your email app, Edge browser windows or anything else without having to snap them back to the previous view again.
There's also improved multi-monitor support, so when you reconnect an external monitor, Windows 11 remembers the previous positions of the windows that were on that monitor.
There's even an estimated installation time for Windows Update, so you can see whether you need to hold off from updating your PC until later in the day.
Teams is also integrated to the dock, so you can easily join in with meetings and family calls. This looks like the first inkling of Skype disappearing from Windows, especially with the Skype sounds being heard in the demo when a call was incoming.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
The Microsoft Store is finally seeing a redesign, with better-curated content, and a better options for managing your purchased shows, such as mirroring them to your television. Apps such as Disney+, Adobe Creative Cloud, Pinterest and more are already in this redesigned store for Windows 11, ready to go.
WPA, EWP and Win32 apps are now all in the Microsoft Store, ready to go. If a developer has a commerce engine, they can keep 100% of the revenue brought from the Microsoft Store.
Android apps are also ready for Windows 11, discoverable from the Microsoft Store, via the Amazon App Store, so you can download TikTok and more, ready to use on your PC or tablet.
We suspect that the reason why Amazon are allowing their version of the store instead of Google, may be to do with the .APK filename being replaced from August.
The new store opens up possibilities for other applications to arrive in Windows 11, even Apple's iMessage, which could follow iTunes and Safari.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
A new look for 11
Fluent Design is the new name for the look of Windows 11. Across the board everything looks more modern and fresh, with rounded windows and apps such as Snipping Tool seeing huge improvements in years.
One of the biggest changes users will notice is that the Start menu has been moved to the center of the screen – and it's now "cloud powered", so it dynamically changes depending on the time of day, and the content you're working with.
Windows Widgets are back in Windows 11, accessible via the dock, with Microsoft touting AI-powered dynamic features that enable widgets, as with the Start menu, to change depending on the apps you're using and the time of day. On the touchscreen, you can slide from the left on the desktop to have widgets appear.
There are plenty to choose from, such as the weather, Bing maps, news, and more.
These will be available for third-parties as well, so you may see as many widgets available to pick as there are on Apple's iOS and iPadOS operating systems.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Gaming on Windows 11
Gaming will be a much bigger focus in Windows 11, with the sluggish and frustrating-to-use Windows 10 Xbox app replaced by a new Game Pass app that enables you to buy, manage and remove games, making it easier for you to access and download games, from Doom Eternal to – soon – Halo Infinite.
HDR will also be supported on compatible machines, offering improved lighting and contrast for gaming and viewing media. Direct Storage is also here, with the main game assets able to be downloaded and installed, enabling you to play your games even faster than before.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Touch improvements
Tablet mode has been one of Windows' weaker points ever since Windows 8, and the new tablet features that Microsoft showed off for Windows 11 could be key to the operating system's fortunes, especially with future Surface products in the pipeline from Microsoft – to have a new, numbered operating system for its upcoming tablets could be a big selling point for new users.
At the event, Microsoft touted bigger touch targets and easier ways to move windows around, and better rotate optimizations, for example in how windows are rearranged, so you don't lose track of the applications you were using.
Gestures used with the trackpad of the Surface models are also coming to the touchscreen, bringing in some familiarity here. Haptics is also coming to Windows 11 when you use a stylus for better feedback when drawing or sketching.
The touch keyboard has also been redesigned, with a smaller keyboard just for your thumb, and emojis ready to be used. Microsoft says dictation will also be improved, alongside voice commands, with 'delete that' options and more.
Online invoicing service Square will soon start offering a subscription model, besides its current free model. Called Invoices Plus, the new offering will come with a number of new features, as well as a few that were tested in the free version.
As reported by TechCrunch, the service has already been quietly rolled out to some users, with some users notified of the upcoming changes via email, despite an official announcement yet to be made.
The announcement, which has since made its way to the Square Seller Community forum, says multi-package estimates, custom invoice templates, and custom invoice fields will all be part of Invoices Plus, after previously being tested in the free version.
Additional new features include the ability to automatically convert accepted estimates to invoices, and the option to build schedules based on milestones.
Square Invoices will get a “trial” button next to these features, to communicate the changes with the users with more clarity.
The free version will still allow unlimited invoicing, estimates, and contracts. Users will also keep the invoice tracking, reminders, and reporting tools.
Further developments
Explaining the changes on the forum, a Square employee said the current way the company makes money isn’t enough to keep developing the product. At the moment, Square takes 2.9 percent of every invoice paid online by check or debit card, plus a $0.30 flat fee. Furthermore, there is a 1% fee per ACH transaction.
We still don’t know how much the subscription to the new service will cost.
By becoming a paid service, Square Invoices will join the broader Square family of subscription-based products, such as Square Online, Appointments, Square for Retail and Square for Restaurants.
The company hopes that by bringing Invoices into the paid subscription model, it will be able to better compete with other paid invoicing apps.
It was in May last year that India and China engaged in a border skirmish that had its echoes in the economic firmament of both countries. The federal government in New Delhi curtailed Chinese investments in India and blocked mobile apps with even a remote connection to Beijing (260 Chinese apps) citing threats to sovereignty.
What began as an offshoot of a military skirmish morphed into a campaign that was fuelled by a Make-in-India slogan. A slew of Indian applications hit the market in the subsequent months serving as a launchpad for many more. There was Fau-G, Koo, Leher, Zoho Doc Scanner and ShareChat to name a few.
What it also meant was that several prominent mobile apps got booted out, in spite of the fact that they were hugely popular with the audience in India. Apps such as PUBG and TikTok boasted of more downloads and users in India than in their native country or in any other geography.
Where are they now?
More than 12 months down the road, most of these apps continue to be banned in India. However, a few have made a comeback, either in a new avatar or claiming new parenthood. Take the case of Battle Grounds Mobile India, which happens to be the old PUBG in disguise.
And then there were others such as TikTok that made repeated valiant attempts to relaunch with telecom and digital retail brands like Jio and Airtel. They even changed the parent entity to discard the Chinese connection. However, the plan did not pass muster with the Indian regulators.
On the face of it, India's response was termed as overly aggressive by some and necessary by others, given the ferocity of the border incursion and the casualties that it caused on both sides. However, what is also true now is that in recent months the border has become calmer and so have tempers in New Delhi.
Information available with TechRadar through conversations with senior officials in the federal government indicates that the Chinese companies are now seeking new means to reappear on the mobile screens of Indian users. They are either coming up with fresh investments or announcing new products to lure the market.
A Times of India report states that post-Covid, the user base of Chinese apps has grown multi-folds in the country. Apps like PLAYfit, Mast music status, Mivi, Resso, Tiki, Zili etc are some of the apps that have seen tremendous growth, adding over 115 million users compared to the 96million users that they had when the ban was placed on other apps.
Hidden Chinese connections
To keep the anti-Chinese sentiment at bay, these companies have made conscious efforts to keep their Chinese ownership under wraps. It is only after putting in some effort and connecting various dots that the original ownership of these applications could be established.
And it is quite obvious that some of these apps are owned by entities that still stand banned in India. Take the case of Resso, which has Moon Video Inc. listed as owner. What is left unsaid is that this entity is owned by Bytedance - the same entity that owns TikTok. That TikTok India's India head moved to Resso is also a dead giveaway.
However, the modus operandi isn't what it was a year ago. Media and entertainment is the current flavour with China, given the immense reach it gives them. Then there is micro-finance that Chinese companies appear to chasing as a vertical.
Recently, Google, following directives from RBI, banned several Chinese apps that were providing easy loans under vague terms and conditions. This resulted in users agreeing to exorbitant interest rates and policies that were designed to harass the users, the officials said.
Yet another high-profile example in this regard is the Singapore-based Shopee - an eCommerce platform that has steadily set up a strong base in India. It is owned by the Sea Group, a company that also owns the Garena Free Fire game. It has the backing of Chinese conglomerate Tencent with major control in its decision making.
Anti-China or pro-India?
When the federal government banned Chinese apps, the nationalistic sentiments were at an all-time high and India's actions were seen as anti-China, especially in the backdrop of the military skirmish. Curbs on investments from China also meant that they lost government and private contracts with the likes of Huawei and ZTE getting kicked out of the 5G infrastructure development project.
However, today the official stance appears to have changed. Government officials are holding the view that action around any new mobile apps would be taken only in conjunction with the security agencies, who would first need to sign off on the data security of these applications.
In the past 12 months, the government has also announced comprehensive data security and protection policies. The apps that were banned were perceived as a direct threat to India's sovereignty and integrity as they were seen to be collecting user data including location, contact information, phone data etc.
The data collected via these means can be used for snooping – another allegation that the Indian government levelled when it banned the Chinese apps initially, the officials said while underscoring the need for security sign-offs on any new app that comes to the market and has even a remote Chinese connection.
However, what is still unclear is how the government would tackle the ownership issues as evident from the Shopee example. In spite of its #VocalforLocal hashtag and repeated articulation of making in India as a panacea for economic growth, the fact remains that these apps are supplying goods from Chinese warehouses.
Which obviously then raised the moot question - were the Chinese apps dangerous or was it just use to create a smokescreen of nationalism to arm twist companies who saw a large market in India.
It may take a few more months before the scene clears itself out when government formally brings forth the new data security norms as an Act of Parliament.
What can we expect from Philips TVs in 2021? The Dutch company has unveiled most of its 2021 TV range for the year ahead. So far, it features a continuation of many of the models and TV tech types that have worked well in previous years, as well as some significant changes that might shake up the TV space.
The arrival of Mini LED is the most significant change. This suggests that Philips is walking in step with the likes of LG with its new QNED range and the new Samsung TVs, which will be making use of the advanced backlight technology.
Philips is mainly known for its proprietary Ambilight projection system, though, which throws colors and shades from the screen onto the wall around it. In 2021, we will see it return in earnest, with four-sided Ambilight coming to all 2021 OLED and Mini LED TVs.
New developments aren’t just about picture. We’ve recently learned that new Philips TVs launching in the UK and Europe this year will include a new audio technology, which helps users calibrate their TV sound system to their specific hearing needs.
What’s more, just because many of the new Philips 2021 range were unveiled earlier in the year doesn’t mean there aren’t new announcements worth paying attention to.
Halfway through 2021 now and Philips has announced two new OLED+ series, the OLED+986 and OLED+936. They build on the success of last year’s OLED+935 and OLED+984 models and look set to bring a host of welcome changes to the picture quality, audio capabilities, and gaming features available on the brand’s premium line of OLED screens.
Both come with Philips’ latest 5th-gen P5 AI Dual Picture engine, which brings AI enhancements to reduce banding in images and bring more sharpness. According to Philips, they also have a new OLED panel, Ambilight, the built-in smart lighting system in previous Philips TVs, an audio overhaul thanks to the continued collaboration with Bower & Wilkins and much more to get excited about.
We’re yet to try out any of these 2021 sets in person, but we will be sure to update this guide when we’ve had the chance to review key Philips TVs from this year’s range. For now, read on to see what’s on its way.
Philips OLED 806 (48, 55, 65, 77-inch): This year's successor to the 805 packs in a 50W 2.1 sound system, HDMI 2.1 ports, and a "razor thin, zero bezel" design – and, naturally, an OLED panel as well as Philips' P5 picture processor. There's no pricing yet, but the introduction of a 48-inch size (previously only available for the flagship OLED+935) should help keep cost down for some. Coming in the first half of 2021.
Philips OLED 856 (55, 65-inch): This step-up model is more limited in sizes, but comes with a sleeker "wedge mount metal dark chrome T bar stand" rather than the feet of the model above. Expect other specs to match up with the 806, though, including the early 2021 release date.
(Image credit: Philips)
Philips OLED+986 (65-inch): The OLED+986 is an updated version of last year’s OLED+984 model. Key differences include a new 5th-gen P5 Intelligent Dual Picture Engine, which promises better quality colors, sharpness and contrast. Also worth noting is that Philips says the OLED+986 is the “best-sounding TV ever”. Although we’d usually advise you take that bold claim with a pinch of salt, because Bowers & Wilkins is on board, it’s worth paying attention to. The OLED+986 is available from October 2021.
Philips OLED+936 (48, 55, 65-inch): Building on the success of last year’s OLED+935, the 936 has Philips’ latest 5th-gen P5 Dual Picture engine, which brings AI enhancements to the screen to reduce branding and increase sharpness. There are a whole range of features and notable improvements here too, including Ambilight, Philips’ smart lighting system, an audio overhaul, automatic Dolby Atmos decoding and more. Philips says the 936, and 986, have an “entirely new OLED panel” with “20% more light output and an even better viewing angle.” The Philips OLED+936 is available from September 2021.
Philips 2021 Mini LED TVs
(Image credit: Philips)
Philips Mini LED 9506 (65, 75-inch): This TV packs in Philips' latest 5th-gen P5 picture processor, as well as Mini LED backlight to help improve contrast and brightness control. We're told that the backlight will "create local deep blacks and spectacular highlights with an impressive peak light output of 2000 nits. Colour reproduction is also impressive thanks to the high-quality VA panel with a wide viewing angle and a wide colour gamut of 95% DCI-P3." Coming mid-2021, with a peak brightness of 1,500 nits.
Philips Mini LED 9636 (65, 75-inch): Same as above, but this model includes a 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos sound system, courtesy of audio specialist Bowers & Wilkins, and will no doubt be a better choice for those after more of an all-in-one home cinema system. Also coming mid-2021, with a higher 2,000 nits peak brightness – but certainly at a higher price.
Philips TV 2021 technology
(Image credit: Philips)
What marks out Philips TVs from the rest? The most eye-catching feature would certainly be Philips Ambilight: a projection technology that throws onscreen colors onto the wall behind your television, upping the ambience (hence the name) and making for a light-show you won’t get with Sony or Samsung TVs. Three-sided Ambilight, that projects from the left, right, and upper sides of the television, is the most common, though Philips has standardised four-sided Ambilight for its new OLED and MiniL ED TVs this year.
Philips has a good reputation for sound – though not through Philips' own audio arm. The company collaborates with audio specialists Bowers & Wilkins for its high-end televisions, fitting them with dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbars to really hear those movie soundtracks or cheering crowds at their best.
There's a new fifth-generation P5 picture processor that's got a few upgrades too. This year's P5 chip includes "anti-burn-in" technology for its OLED sets, a new "Film detection" category to help calibrate picture settings to the genre of content being watched, and support for the light-sensitive HDR10+ Adaptive mode unveiled by Samsung last year.
The burn-in tech helps to detect logos or static content and reduce the intensity of light in those areas, "without compromising the output of other parts of the screen".
Film detection works alongside the P5's five pillars of source, colour, contrast, motion and sharpness processing. There's also a new "Fast Motion Clarity feature" for gamers and sports fans, to improve the "smooth transition from image to image with increased sharpness but without introducing artefacts" – and runs at 100Hz rather than the usual 50Hz.
(Image credit: Philips)
The biggest change this year, though, is the arrival of Mini LED tech. Mini LED is a backlight technology that makes use of tens of thousands of tiny LEDs for more precise brightness control and impressive contrast compared to tradition LCD-LED TVs.
While it doesn't offer the self-emitting pixels of OLED or Micro LED panels, it should help LCD televisions continue to compete in the TV space, for those without the cash or desire for more premium technologies. You'll find Mini LED tech in both LG's new QNED range and the higher-end new Samsung TVs coming out this year too. For those with more mid-spec budgets or tastes, though, there will still be a host of more traditional LCDs to consider.
You'll get support for DTS Play-Fi multi-room audio in higher-end Philips TVs, as well as a Philips variant to help easily connect Philips-made TVs, speakers and soundbars together in a 'Philips Sound' app.
Like Panasonic, Philips is agnostic towards HDR formats, and makes sure to support both the dynamic Dolby Vision and HDR10+ standards (unlike Samsung, which sticks only with the latter). You’ll also get the HLG (hybrid log gamma) broadcasting format, though these formats drop off when you get down to more affordable mid- or low-end sets.
Philips uses the Android smart TV platform across its TV range, with 2021 models getting the latest Android 10 iteration. It’s the most common TV platform and the most unremarkable – though Android’s stability issues have generally improved over the past couple of years, thanks to updates from Google.
Philips OLED+935 (available in 48, 55, 65 inches): Philips' flagship television for 2020 looks like a beauty, so it's fitting the company saved it for last, officially unveiling it at IFA 2020 in September. This model features four-sided Ambilight (compared to other three-sided models), along with the fourth-gen P5 processor and AI picture advancements found across this year's OLED range. You're also getting a 70W audio system, courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins, with Dolby Atmos and universal HDR support.
Philips OLED 805 / 855 / 865 (available in 55, 65 inches): This set of OLED TVs may differ in design – only the TV stand, really – but they should all offer the same level of high-end excellence. Philips’ OLED sets are largely spectacular, thanks in no small part to the three-sided Ambilight projection built in their frames – and this year’s cohort promises greater AI processing too.
These aren’t quite the flagship sets in the range, as the Philips 984+ (which launched in late 2019) is still the top dog for now. Expect Dolby Atmos audio and 50W speakers, though – with a release in July, after a delay from the initial May launch date.
Philips 9435 4K HDR LED (available in 55, 65 inches): Even as we drop down to LCD panels, this 4K HDR television still packs in a 50W 2.1.2 channel audio system – from Bowers & Wilkins – with upwards-firing drivers to make the most of Dolby Atmos content. Same Ambilight features as above. (Pricing / availability not announced.)
Philips 9235 4K HDR LED (available in 43 inches): 40W 2.1 channel speakers should still give this smaller 4K set something to shout about – while three-sided Ambilight should help too. (Pricing / availability not announced.)
Philips 8505 4K HDR LED (available in 43, 50, 58, 65, 70 inches): This Philips set is at the tail end of the premium range, or the top end of the mid-range, depending on your perspective. You’ll get the same three-sided Ambilight and P5 picture processor as the sets above, with a smaller 20W audio output from built-in speakers (no soundbar here.) The stand design varies between panel sizes, but you should get the same picture quality from the 43-inch to 70-inch model.
Everything you need to know about this year's new TVs:
Best TV 2021: the best flatscreen televisions from the past year
Philips has unveiled a pair of new OLED TVs for 2021, and they look set to bring a host of welcome changes to the picture quality, audio capabilities, and gaming features available on the brand’s premium line of OLED screens – though it’s yet to be seen if the company’s Mini LED range could usurp them.
The new OLED+936 and OLED+986 build on the success of last year’s OLED+935 and OLED+984 models, packing in Philips’ “latest fifth-generation P5 AI Dual Picture engine”, with AI enhancements to reduce banding in images and aid sharpness in images.
Both models feature “an entirely new OLED panel” with “20% more light output and an even better viewing angle”, seemingly on a par with the LG G1 OLED and Sony A90J, which come with LG Display’s brightness-boosting OLED evo panel tech.
You will, of course, get Ambilight – the built-in smart lighting system that projects on-screen colors onto the wall behind the television, and this system looks to be the same as what we’ve seen in previous screens. The anti-burn-in technology that debuted on the OLED+935 last year is now also standardised across Philips’ 2021 OLED range, which should help to persuade gamers to try out the company’s sets – especially with the host of gaming enhancements that have landed with these new screens.
That includes an upgrade to HDMI 2.1 specification, meaning that VRR, ALLM, Freesync Premium, G-Sync compatibility and HGiG tone mapping for improved HDR. We’re told by Philips exec Danny Tuck that these screens can offer input lag as low as 11ms, too, which should be a very acceptable number for many of today’s console gamers.
There’s also been a huge audio overhaul, with a “completely redesigned sound enclosure from Bowers & Wilkins” in the new sets, helping to bring drivers closer to the front of the built-in and forward-facing soundbars found on these screens, with upgraded voice coils and a “steeper design of cone” to help project audio upwards for Dolby Atmos verticality too. The speaker enclosure is “perfectly tuned to match” each screen size as well, while a single power cable connects both your television and the soundbar, ensuring a lack of clutter.
Philips claims its OLED+986 model is the “best-sounding TV ever”, which is certainly a big claim – and the sort of thing every TV maker says – but the usual quality found from Bowers & Wilkins speakers means it’s still certainly worth paying attention to.
The Philips OLED+936 will be available from September in 48-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch sizes, while the Philips OLED+986 will be available in October with a single 65-inch size. However, the brightness uptick in OLED evo panels doesn’t seem to be available in a 48-inch size, meaning that the smallest versions of these screens won’t get the same light advantages as their larger counterparts.
Analysis: A war waged on more fronts than ever
(Image credit: Philips)
The best TVs in 2021 need to do a lot more than offer a good picture, especially since the OLED TVs at the top of so many ranges have their panels supplied by the same company, LG Display. While the implementation of these panels varies, along with different picture processing and the like, it’s really in secondary considerations like built-in sound, gaming features, and other notable tricks like Ambilight that will help these screens stand out – or would, if everyone else wasn’t doing the same thing.
Panasonic offers OLED TVs with 125W of built-in audio and side-firing speakers, and similar levels of 14.4ms input lag for gamers, and it can be a bit confusing trying to suss out which TV maker offers the best package – especially now that HDMI 2.1 specification has become the norm among premium screens.
Philips is facing competition not only from other OLED makers, though, but also its own Mini LED range. Reviews are yet to arrive for its new-for-2021 Mini LED range of screens, though it confirms that “Mini LED is going to stay in 2022, yes” – suggesting a lot of confidence in the performance of the panel technology.
Before you pre-order a new OLED screen, then, you may want to wait to see how popular Philips’ Mini LEDs actually are – although it’s clear that company is still saving its best features for its OLED+ range, and the best combination of picture quality, impactful sound, and four-sided Ambilight is likely to be found here.
What is OLED and do you need an OLED TV? Although you’ve probably heard the term OLED before when looking for a new TV, eyeing up the latest laptops or reading up on the new Nintendo Switch OLED, it can be tricky to define – especially when there are so many other tech-related acronyms to learn.
OLED stands for ‘Organic Light Emitting Diode’. This refers to the type of panel that’s used within an OLED TV. This panel displays all of the things that you can see: colors, images and light.
It’s this OLED panel that makes OLED TVs different to other kinds of TV technologies on the market, including CRT (cathode ray tube), LED (light-emitting diode), LCD (liquid crystal display), or QLED (quantum dot).
In comparison to those types, OLED uses an organic material that's more expensive to produce. Importantly, it also has less of a shelf life too, but many would argue that the benefits it can bring you are well worth it.
That’s because OLED TVs bring you better image quality (that means blacker blacks and brighter whites), along with reduced power consumption, and much faster response times. It’s these super fast response times that make OLED TVs worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a new gaming TV.
Although we don’t think you need to learn what every tech term means, if you’re looking to buy one of the best TVs or any other screen-based gadget, it’s worth learning more about OLED. These days, it’s only Samsung’s QLED panels that offer a rival to this type of tech – while Micro LED still has a way to go before it catches up.
That’s why this guide is an OLED TV explainer, helping you figure out if this TV tech is right for you and separate the facts from the OLED hype.
Don’t have time to read a whole article? Watch our quick OLED explainer video instead:
FAQ
OLED FAQ: quick questions answered
Is OLED better than LED? They're different. OLED excels in some areas, such as contrast, color accuracy, and black levels – though the low brightness might rub you the wrong way.
Is OLED better than 4K? OLED TVs tend to have a crisp 4K resolution, but most 4K TVs don't have OLED panels. Pick and choose as you like!
Is OLED better for my eyes? OLED panels emit around half the amount of blue light than equivalent LCD sets, which should reduce the likelihood of damage to your eyes and stop the evening's programming keeping you up at night. You should get those benefits for OLED smartphones too.
Why is OLED so expensive? They're expensive and difficult to produce, with a lot of models suffering breakages while on the factory line. (Only the working ones make it to retail, of course.)
What's the lifespan of an OLED TV? Any OLED TV should last you years of use. Back in 2016 The Korea Times reported that LG OLED TVs had a lifespan of over 100,000 hours (11 years of constant use).
Should I worry about OLED burn-in? Probably not. Image retention isn't a widespread problem, and most are unlikely to be affected – though we have more information on this below.
OLED explained
(Image credit: Sony)
What is OLED?
OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, with the 'organic' part referring to the carbon film that sits inside the panel before the glass screen.
OLED panels emit their own light when an electric current is passed through, whereas cells in a LCD-LED display require an external light source, like a giant backlight, for brightness.
This backlight is what separated LCD screens from their LED variants. A traditional LCD screen has a backlight (called a cold-cathode fluorescent light, or CCFL) which is uniform across the entire back of the screen.
This means that whether the image is black or white, it is being lit by exactly the same brightness across the panel. This reduces what we call "hotspots," or areas of super bright light, because the actual light source illuminating them is uniform.
This all started a few years back when engineers at companies like Samsung and Sony introduced an array of LEDs as a backlight, which meant that if a certain part of the screen was black then those LEDs behind that portion could be turned off to make it appear blacker.
This is a better solution than a CCFL backlight, but it still has its problems. Since it's a light behind the LCD producing the illumination rather than the LCD layer itself, the illumination is not entirely in-sync with the pixel in front of it. The result is an effect called 'blooming', whereby LED light from bright portions of the image bleeds over into areas of blackness.
This is what separates OLEDs from LCD/LED displays. In an OLED TV display, the pixels themselves are the things producing the light, and so when they need to be black they are able to turn off completely, rather than relying on a backlight to turn off on their behalf.
Is OLED worth it?
Most OLED TVs offer exceptional picture quality, though they need to be paired with a high-spec processor to really do sources justice(Image credit: Panasonic)
Is OLED worth it?
If you watch an OLED and compare it to your experience with another kind of TV panel, you'll notice the result is remarkably dark blacks in an image, and when you combine this with the bright whites of an OLED panel, you're left with a fantastically vibrant image overall.
LG and Panasonic, the most consistent producers of OLED televisions on the planet, like to use the term "infinite contrast" to describe how the self-lighting pixels switch off completely when reproducing black giving it an "absolute" black color instead of a "relative" black that only describes how dark one pixel can get compared to the brightest pixel on the screen.
For years there was a question mark about longevity of OLED panels, while production lines have been impossible to make profitable due to high failure rates.
The advantages of OLED go beyond simple static image quality, though, to the responsiveness and smoothness of the display itself, meaning gamers and home cinema aficionados are going to absolutely love OLED TV.
OLED panels are capable of a refresh rate of as low as 0.001ms, which for reference, is around 1,000 times faster than a standard LED-backlit LCD panel, while also being superior to the now-discontinued plasma tech, too.
And, because the lighting source they use is so tiny, the depth of screen sizes has shrunk at the same rate. That means OLED TVs have awesomely deep blacks and bright, peak whites, improved color accuracy as well as smooth responsive motion - and all from a form factor that's just a few millimeters in depth and much lighter than standard TVs.
Nintendo Switch OLED
What about the Nintendo Switch OLED?
OLED isn't just a TV technology. It's found in countless premium smartphones, as well as the new Nintendo Switch OLED – a 2021 twist on the beloved gaming console that packs an OLED screen rather than the LCD display used on the existing Switch and Switch Lite.
Its arrival in a revamped Nintendo gaming console is no accident, though. Nintendo's decision to utilize OLED speaks to the tech's ability to deliver premium image quality, and we only expect it to enhance the experience of handheld gaming, just as it's enhanced the viewing experience of countless OLED TVs.
An OLED Switch should make for even more vibrant colors and improved contrast – crucial for the increasingly lavish and detailed graphics of modern games – with the deep blacks associated with OLED panels ensuring stark images in games such as the upcoming Breath of the Wild 2.
Its OLED's self-emissive nature that helps in this regard, ensuring that 'off' pixels are actually off, creating a real black rather than a semi-convincing gray. This also means the level of contrast between bright and dark areas of the screen is massive, even 'infinite'.
It's telling that Nintendo has opted for OLED for a premium step-up model of its console, even increasing the size of the screen so that you can better appreciate the new Switch's self-emissive pixels.
Those pixels can also instantaneously switch between states, meaning that response times are very fast – ideal for responsive play, or for getting the edge in competitive gaming.
LG has a whole host of new OLED televisions for 2020(Image credit: LG)
OLED: which OLED TVs are out now?
OLED TVs have been on the market since 2012, and a range of manufacturers have tackled the technology over the years. It used to be the case that OLEDs were produced by just Samsung and LG.
LG, on the other hand, has been releasing OLED sets consistently over the past few years. The 2021 LG TV line-up has been strong so far this year. The LG Z1 8K OLED launched, one of very few televisions that meld 8K resolution with the benefits of an OLED panel. Although it’s eye-wateringly expensive.
The Gallery Series OLED has a successor with the LG G1 Gallery OLED TV and the successor to last year’s popular CX OLED is the LG C1 OLED TV. There’s also a budget OLED TV series on offer, the A1 OLED, as well as many others.
LG has also expanded its range of TV sizes, with an 83-inch size set to come to every new OLED 4K TV LG is releasing in 2021. We heard directly from LG Display itself that an even smaller 42-inch size is on its way for 2021 too.
If you're not big into LG TVs, there are plenty more OLED TVs from other brands available to buy now too. The Panasonic 2021 TV line-up includes the Panasonic JZ2000, Panasonic’s flagship TV for the year. The JZ1500 is a step-down OLED TV, though one that still makes use of the custom 'Master HDR OLED' panel usually reserved for Panasonic's flagship. There's also the more affordable, mid-spec Panasonic JZ980.
Although it's not just the biggest brands that have OLED offerings. For example, the Vizio OLED 4K TV isn't a perfect TV, but it's affordable and offers stunning 4K HDR pictures, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.
For more of the latest and greatest OLED TVs, head to our best OLED TVs guide to see the top models we've had the pleasure of reviewing on the site – or our OLED TV deals page for the cheapest sets going right now.
OLED prices
(Image credit: Sony)
OLED: how much does it cost?
OLED TVs are definitely getting cheaper, but they're still a long way from what we'd call affordable. The prices of new LG TVs start at $1,399 / £1,099 / AU$2,130 (that's the LG A1 OLED's price tag, specifically). Those made by Panasonic and Sony are usually more expensive still, but we are seeing cheaper competitors enter the market, like the Vizio OLED 4K TV, which starts at $1,299.99 for the 55-inch model.
The scarcity of OLED TVs on the market has meant that those small number of players in the market are more or less free to charge exactly what they want. An increase in competition, though, is helping to change that, as is the introduction of a new 48-inch OLED size and a scaling up of production helping to drop the cost of budget OLED TVs.
Occasionally a year-old model will now drop to three-figure sums, though, with the Vizio H1 OLED selling for $899 in flash sales, or the Philips 754 going for £999 in the UK – and we're definitely at something of a tipping point. The arrival of 42-inch OLEDs down the line would certainly help matters too.
It's definitely worth keeping an eye out for end-of-year sales. Black Friday and Cyber Monday usually have numerous good deals on OLED TVs – and given their usually high starting price, you can often get hundreds discounted at the right time. Cheaper OLEDs, though can still see notable price cuts that bring them more within reach of mid-range buyers.
You're going to see a price premium on most OLED display gadgets other than TVs, too. The new Nintendo Switch OLED costs $349.99 / £309.99 / AU$539, which is a notable uptick from the $299.99 / £279.99 / AU$449 price tag of the mainline LCD model.
Burn-in shouldn't worry you, thanks to Screen Shift functions and improving manufacturing processes(Image credit: Toshiba)
OLED burn-in: do I need to worry?
What is OLED burn-in? Burn in, or image retention, is when an image or sequence is played so often and continuously on a television set that it leaves a permanent mark on the panel – obviously not ideal for a home television.
You don't particularly need to worry, as it largely happens only when displaying a static image or sequence on repeat, as with a display unit in a showroom or retail store. You should get several years warranty, anyhow, and we don't see many home cinema fans using their OLED TV in this way.
TV makers like LG are also working to limit the risk of this, with screen saver features, a Screen Shift function that "moves the screen slightly at regular intervals to preserve image quality", and "Logo Luminance Adjustment, which can detect static logos on the screen and reduce brightness to help decrease permanent image retention" (via LG.com).
But if you're planning on leaving your TV for countless hours at a time – say, to parent the children in your absence, or to play the same looping video over and over – then OLED may not be the right panel technology for you.
What's next?
(Image credit: LG Display)
What's the future for OLED?
OLED is an expensive panel technology that has finally managed to gain traction – after spending so long as an outlier that we wrote an opinion piece in 2014 about how the technology might be dead.
Obviously that didn't turn out to be the case. In fact, market analysts are predicting 2021 will be the year of the OLED, with shipments of OLED screens meant to increase by 80% from 2020 (via LG).
We've seen plenty of stunning OLED models hit the market this year alone. Although price points are still taking an age to drop within reach of regular consumers.
But just because OLED isn't affordable yet doesn't mean it's not getting better. Even at the bottom end, a $1,200 / £1,200 price tag isn't what we'd consider budget, but it's a great deal cheaper than what OLED was retailing for even just a year ago.
That trend is always going to be good news for the consumer, though manufacturers may have other things in mind.
LG's rollable OLED – which unfurls out of a box, either on the floor or ceiling – has now released in South Korea, with a wider release seeming likely in 2021. New form factors like these, including even transparent panels, are forever in the works, though not all of these experimental ideas end up making it to market.
Samsung is one of several TV makers looking to develop what's called QD-OLED: a new type of OLED panel that uses quantum dot emitters to improve brightness. The tech is very much in development, but when it arrives, it could meld the competing QLED and OLED technologies and render previous methods of production obsolete.
Many companies and researchers are also actively working to make OLED even better and brighter. OLED TVs are notorious for their dim output, but there's promising news from researchers at the University of Michigan.
A team has developed a new electrode that can 'liberate' 20% more light from respective screens at the same time as increasing energy efficiency and improving the battery life of OLED displays. Right now this only applies to portable displays – smartphones and the like – but it's a good step for TVs too.
