Could we see rounded corners on new TVs?

TVs used to have rounded corners, I wonder if that'll catch on again.

Particularly noticeable on this 1950's Philco "Princess" model 3410, old CRT TVs couldn't have a hard corner like modern LED TVs. Since LCD TVs were released, all TV corners are sharp.

Smartphone corners have become more rounded, particularly on the iPhone 15. Tablets, like the iPad, have adopted rounded corners. If you watch a movie in the Apple Vision Pro, the edges will also be round. And it's not just Apple, my Pixel has a slight fillet around it. Google often uses rounded corners for web images, video and for the display at Google I/O last year.

There’s a trend, at least with large tech companies, with using this aesthetic. The decision to round corners on TVs could have to do with a few factors:

• It's a more organic form, making it more approachable and slightly more natural feeling.

• Sharp edges can create a sense of abruptness. A smoother display creates a more continuous and fluid visual experience.

• Rounded corners and edges are safer to be around, so it may evoke a sense of security or safety.

Of course, it comes at a loss of real estate. A Chinese company, Hisense, experimented with this design several years back but widespread adoption never happened.

Rounded corners on screens and displays could be a trend that just feels new on phones and tablets for now, but maybe in the near future the aesthetic will find its way to larger screens.