Samsung shows off transparent mirror OLED screens

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The industry's first transparent and mirror OLED displays show full HD video, use voice and gesture control, and could soon make a mockery of your bathroom mirror.

Samsung revealed its new OLED displays at an exhibition in Hong Kong, claiming the technology could be revolutionary in any number of uses, from shopping to digital advertising and in the home.

What's more, no matter how they're used, Samsung says the OLED panels deliver a huge jump in performance over similar mirror and transparent LCD screens, claiming contrast ratios of up to 100,000:1, plus improvements to reflectance, refresh rate and colours.

Working with Intel, these "Magic Mirror 2.0" displays can be used as a "digital viewing platform", with Samsung demonstrating how shoppers could virtually see themselves in clothes or other items with the flick of a wrist; a 21st century take on the shop changing room. But the tech could also come to the home.

MORE: OLED TV - everything you need to know

Samsung painted a picture of a Minority Report-style control panel, "providing digital information services to sophisticated consumers in the same space where they now have a traditional mirror".

The display works with gesture and voice controls and can display Full HD video, with front-facing and rear-facing cameras able to scan people, rooms and objects. So you could soon be swiping through the news or your emails while you brush your teeth in the morning.

Samsung has been relatively quiet about OLED TV technology, having said last year that the company would focus on 4K Ultra HD TVs rather than OLED in 2015.

That's in contrast to LG, whose LG Display business is pushing to improve OLED TV yields in order to increase its OLED TV production. And now it seems watching TV on your screen may only be the half of it...

Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).