London - They have been the bane of interior designers' lives for decades but unsightly super-sized televisions could become a thing of the past.
A new "ultra-high-definition" screen is being sold on the promise that it can blend into the wall when not in use.
The chameleon-like technology will see the Samsung QLED TV change colour or pattern to mirror the space around it if set to "ambient mode". Its designers say it will achieve "aesthetic excellence" by becoming part of the furniture.
undefinedRobert King of Samsung said the technology was groundbreaking, adding: "It's high time we said goodbye to boring blank TV screens in the home."
Buyers of the futuristic TV need to take a photograph of the wall behind it. Samsung's technology processes the photo, using it to blend the screen into its surroundings. The set can merge into blank or patterned walls, leaving only the very thin frame of the screen visible.
The same ambient setting can be configured to show useful information such as news headlines, traffic reports and weather updates.
The technology does not come cheap however. Prices start at over £1 200 (about R21 000) for a 55in screen, with the 75in version setting buyers back by £2 500.