LG to launch more affordable B6 and C6 OLED TVs later this year

LG to launch more affordable B6 and C6 OLED TVs later this year

14 Feb 2016 | Rasmus Larsen |

In a few weeks from now, LG will release its high-end E6 and G6 OLED ranges but the company is also planning to release more affordable B6 and C6 OLED ranges later this year. B6 is flat and C6 is curved. Here is what we know so far.

LG’s B6 and C6 OLED TVs

At CES 2016, LG exhibited only the high-end E6 and G6 OLED TVs but that decision was taken in the eleventh hour, we were told. The company had originally planned to also unveil its new B6 and C6 ranges that will be released later this year. However, some information about B6 and C6 slipped out and we have collected what we know so far.

B6 is range of flat OLED TVs that will be available in 55" and 65”. It is currently listed on LG’s US site without specifications but LG confirms that it will feature 4K resolution, a wide color gamut (what LG calls ColorPrime Pro) and support for HDR (what LG calls HDR Pro on its OLEDs). There is no mention of Dolby Vision on LG's site (not for E6 and G6 either that have already been confirmed to support Dolby Vision) but at CES a LG representative said that all 2016 OLED ranges will support the format. B6 will not support 3D.

C6 is a range of curved OLED TVs that will be available in 55” and 65”. C6 has all of the same features as B6, meaning 4K, HDR and wide color gamut. Additionally, it will support the passive 3D system.

All of the TVs will be “pencil thin”, according to LG’s site. The picture processor and ports (including HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2) are placed in an electronics box on the bottom half. The base has black metal look with a transparent support structure. As you might have noticed there is no built-in “soundbar”. Instead, these TVs will have down-firing speakers.

B6 and C6 will come equipped with LG’s latest webOS 3.0 operating system and a faster hardware chip. webOS 3.0 offers access to apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Google Play Movies & TV, and local apps for each region. There is also an upgraded “Magic Remote”; LG’s motion-enabled TV remote. However, B6 and C6 will not have LG’s new Signature TV remote.

C6 will be the only curved OLED TV in LG's 2016 line-up.

While E6 and G6 will launch in March, LG has not announced launch dates for B6 and C6 but we hear that the TVs are expected to hit the US around summer and Europe a little later, likely closer to the IFA 2016 show in September. Some of the 2015 OLED TVs will carry over into 2016 until the B6 and C6 are ready to be released.