'It has to go beyond a display company': I spoke to the CEO of a TV manufacturer about AI, the monetization of TVs software, and how TV needs to evolve

AV Insider: The TV world 'has to go beyond entertainment' says the CEO if Displace, the groundbreaking wireless OLED TV

20 Mar 2026, 17:43 · TechRadar

Features By James Davidson published 20 March 2026

(Image credit: Displace / Future Publishing Ltd)

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AV Insider is our new series of interviews with influential people inside the AV industry. From execs to the people behind the technology, every Friday we'll bring you a new perspective on world of TV and audio.

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Every year, there are innovations in the world of TV panels, ranging from OLED upgrades to next-gen RGB-backlit sets. The smart TV platforms get just a ton of upgrades too, but these don’t generally get as much attention — or as much innovation.

Some brands are adding new ‘AI’ features for picture and sound enhancement, but the core of the operating system (OS) in the TV stays similar each year.

I recently spoke to Balaji Krishnan, founder and CEO of Displace, a US-based TV manufacturer with a couple of groundbreaking launches under its belt — and what stands out is that its TVs are wireless, capable of fixing themselves to the wall and running from batteries. It launched an OLED you could mount anywhere first, and then followed up with a smaller 27-inch TV that again can be stuck anywhere.

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Displace's most recent launch is the Pro TV 2, an OLED which features the Displace OS, the company’s own smart TV platform. I discussed with Balaji what he sees as the future of TV, as a relatively new company in the space.

‘More than a display’

While TVs are great as displays, Balaji believes TVs need to master the software side of things too. (Image credit: Future)

“If you want to move the needle in this TV market, you have to go beyond a display product”, Balaji says when I ask him about his thoughts on the current TV market. “If you look at all the screens we have at home, the biggest screen is the TV”.

But Balaji thinks TVs need to get smarter. “Ironically, it’s the dumbest screen we all have at home. My watch screen is a smarter product”.

While smart TVs do provide access to streaming apps and some are starting to introduce more ‘AI-based’ smart features for content recommendation and picture and sound enhancement, Balaji believes the smart TV platforms in these TVs are lacking. “The smart TVs these companies sell don’t work well in terms of software. The user experience sucks”.

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