Expect more 48-inch OLED TVs this year, as LG ramps up production

LG CX OLED 48-inch
(Image credit: LG)

Anyone excited by the prospect of 48-inch OLED TVs, but who's been dismayed by the small number of televisions actually available in the compact size, shouldn't have to sulk much longer. 

LG Display looks to be drastically ramping up its production of 48-inch OLED panels, which indicates we could see a lot more TVs and TV brands make use of it in the coming year.

The website for South Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo broke the news, writing that "LG Display will start producing panels by newly operating a 48-inch OLED TV line in Paju from next month" that exclusively produces the smaller panel size (via OLED-info). The report goes on to predict that the 220,000 units made by LG last year could go up to "1 million units this year".

The 48-inch OLED size was a new invention for 2020, and it only came to a select number of OLED TVs, such as the LG CX, Sony A9S, and Philips OLED+935. This time, though, you can expect to see it become a lot more widespread – especially as there are even new sizes LG Display is keen to trial on the mass market.

The news comes off the back of LG Electronics' 2021 TV range starting to roll out worldwide, with new entry-level models like the LG B1 and LG A1 OLEDs set to make the technology more accessible than ever. We can only hope the increased production lowers the cost of manufacture for 48-inch panels, in order to fix the imbalanced pricing from last year's LG TVs.

Playing the market

It's very possible that the success of the 48-inch size has something to do with the launch of the next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles – with families or gamers with limited space in their home looking to buy more compact televisions that don't compromise on quality.

We usually see the best TV specifications and features saved for the largest screens, like these 75-inch 4K TVs, but single-player gaming sessions don't need a screen that's visible to a room of people, and it can make a lot more sense to invest in a more manageable TV size for a bedroom set or second screen.

  • Be sure to check out our LG TV 2021 guide for the latest updates
Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.

Latest in Televisions
Hisense U7N Prime Day 2024 deal image
The Hisense U7N was one of the best TVs I tested in 2024, and it just had its price slashed at Amazon
Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar with Halloween theme over the top
Samsung promises to repair soundbars bricked by its disastrous software update for free – but it'll probably involve shipping
LG C3 deal image on blue background
Woah – LG's C3 OLED TV just crashed to its lowest price ever for March Madness
Samsung Wireless One Connect on stone pedestal
I tested Samsung's new wireless TV connection box, and gamers need to know one thing
Samsung S95D with peacock feather on screen
Samsung says an OLED-beating new screen tech could come sooner than we thought – but I wouldn't expect it in 4K TVs right away
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K is back down to 40% off – give your older 4K TV a cheap smart upgrade
Latest in News
Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices on a table.
Hate Windows 11’s search? Microsoft is fixing it with AI, and that almost makes me want to buy a Copilot+ PC
Oura Ring 4
Activity tracking on Oura Ring is about to get a whole lot better, but I've got bad news about your step count
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Cleaned your Pixel Buds Pro 2 recently? If not, you might be getting worse sound
Google Maps on a phone being held in someone's hand
Google Maps is getting two key upgrades, for easier route planning and quicker access to Gemini AI
URL phishing
HaveIBeenPwned owner suffers phishing attack that stole his Mailchimp mailing list
Gemini on a smartphone.
Gemini 2.5 is now available for Advanced users and it seriously improves Google’s AI reasoning