For attendees and watchers of CES 2023, the name Displace may ring a familiar bell. Amidst all the hype of LG’s nearly cordless TV (it still needs a power chord), Displace came to the Consumer Electronics Tradeshow with a TV that managed to throw out the power chord. Well, the company has announced its return to CES 2024, bringing with it new Mini and Flex models of its wireless Displace TV as well an AI-powered shopping interface baked into its television unit.

The original Displace TV, which measures 55” and supports 4K images uses hot-swappable batteries to power the TV while using a proprietary vacuum technology to adhere the display to a surface. If that sounds unnerving to you as an installer: that’s valid. New safety features were announced in October 2023 that included the addition of wall-sensor algorithms, adhesives for extra stability and a self- lowering landing gear system, but the vacuum suction mounting does still seem to be an overcomplication of simply mounting a TV to the wall.

What made the display unique, as well was that, much like a video wall product, the displays could be combined with one another to make larger screens beyond the initial 55” panel. Though one problem still remained: the vacuum was very finnicky on what walls it could be placed on and stopped working once the batteries ran out. If it wasn’t smooth and flat, chances are you couldn’t mount your Displace on it.

The Displace Flex seeks to correct this issue (kind of) by being able to be attached to a portable magnetic stand (sold separately) that also allows the TV to wirelessly charge while affixed to the stand. The Flex maintains the original’s size of 55” with 4K resolution. Personally, I don’t know why the TV doesn’t come with manual mounting options for more traditional (see also “secure”) installs. The ease of placement and and renovation-friendly aspects seem hardly worth it for most people’s peace of mind.

The Displace Mini, meanwhile, drops the size of the TV down to 27” and weighs a miniscule 12 pounds with two external batteries, according to Displace. As for use cases for this product, Displace highlights being able to attach the Mini to “kitchen countertops, refrigerators, windows, bathrooms, or anywhere that requires a smaller screen,” though most projects I’ve seen go to great lengths to avoid blocking windows with displays.

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Like the original, the Displace Mini can be combined with other Displace Minis to form any sized TV. The Displace Mini also reportedly has a month of battery life, assuming the average viewing time is six hours per day.

Perhaps most interesting, however, is that the company plans to debut its proprietary shopping network. As Displace describes in a press release, the goal of Displace Shopping is to provide real-time purchases of products and services featured in commercials, TV shows and movies, and while this may seem akin to vaporware, Displace has declared this feature will be available both the Flex and Mini product lines starting at CES 2024.

All a user needs to do is raise their hand to pause the TV, and Displace will attempt to find associated products for sale. Users can then user hand gestures to drag and drop the product into the Displace Shopping Cart. From there users can use Displace’s proprietary payment system to buy the item through Displace.

“The next step for Displace is to go beyond entertainment,” said Balaji Krishnan, CEO and founder of Displace. “Our hardware and tightly integrated software can lead to true ambient computing. Displace interactive screens won’t just play movies and TV shows, but will react to users and their surroundings, creating a smart contextual experience that understands an individual’s needs and delivers significant value.”

While certainly a unique approach to tackling the concept, what Displace brings forward in its shopping experience isn’t too far off from what many Smart TVs are offering now with interfaces that are meant to offer an array of experiences from the pulpit of the home theater. Recently, Apple TV made it so users are able to access and configure their ExpressVPN service through the TV itself. The company also made it possible for users to take conference calls through Zoom using their Apple TVs.

The goal of Displace, in general, seems to be the goal of a lot of people within the home media and entertainment space, though Displace is wrapped in a decidedly Silicon Valley package with its unique approach to an interface (in addition to its mounting mechanism). It definitely points to an interesting possibility in how home entertainment may evolve in the years to come, especially as companies like LG are already exploring alternative means of monetizing their televisions, though I do see consumers being far more receptive to shopping from their TV if they see something cool.

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