Remember the first time you got your flat-screen TV? Maybe it was a 42-inch LCD, and you thought, This is the future. It was an upgrade—a shiny milestone that made you feel like you had truly entered the world of grown-ups. The TV became the centerpiece of your home, around which everything else was arranged.

Now, fast forward a few years, and you can pick up a 60-inch 4K OLED for the same price you paid for that 42-inch model. It's thinner than a wafer, brighter than a billion-dollar smile, and sharper than Ricky Gervais' tongue. The future is here—and it’s not just impressive; it’s ordinary. How did we get here?

Not too long ago, owning a big, high-definition TV was a luxury. There was a time when prices were sky-high, and the latest, most advanced models were reserved for the few. Companies didn’t have to innovate much. All they needed to do was make their screens bigger, bulkier, and more expensive.

But then something shifted.

As technology advanced, the mass production of TVs became a game-changer. The cost of raw materials dropped, and innovations like "mother glass" allowed manufacturers to produce more screens with less waste. Suddenly, owning a giant, high-definition TV wasn't a distant dream—it was within reach for the average consumer.

Manufacturers perfected their processes and ramped up production. They sold over 40 million TVs annually in the USA alone, dishing out TVs like McDonald’s cranks out fries.

TVs, once considered a luxury item, became just another fixture in the home.

At the heart of this revolution were technological breakthroughs. LED screens were the first big step forward, using tiny diodes to light up the screen with remarkable efficiency. But OLED? That was a whole new ballgame. By making each pixel its own light source, OLED delivered deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, and crisper contrasts. It wasn't just better—it was a game-changer.

Once out of reach for most, OLEDs have become increasingly affordable, making ultra-high-definition viewing something nearly everyone can enjoy.

While TV tech was improving, something else was happening: the way we watched TV began to shift. The old ritual of family movie night, with everyone gathered around the TV, started to feel like a relic. As smartphones became ubiquitous and streaming services exploded, the act of watching TV became more fragmented, more personal, and more mobile.

Now, you can watch anything—from a documentary about jellyfish to the latest true-crime series—on a screen that fits in your pocket. Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ even offer mobile-only plans, catering to those who want to watch their favorite shows on the go. Who needs a big-screen TV when your phone can deliver a world of content in the palm of your hand?

This shift has fragmented the TV-watching experience. Gone are the days of scheduled programming. Now, content comes in bite-sized chunks, consumed anywhere—on a bus, at a café, or in bed.

This change is about more than just convenience.

It's about what we watch and how we watch it. TV networks, once the gatekeepers of prime-time entertainment, no longer have the control they once did. Now, it's the algorithm that dictates your next binge-watch, with streaming services curating content based on your preferences. The act of watching TV, once defined by the big screen in the living room, has now scattered across countless devices and platforms. Whether it's a massive OLED display or a tiny mobile screen, the experience is more personalized, fluid, and accessible than ever before.

If there’s one thing the evolution of the TV has shown us, it’s that what seems like a luxury today can become ordinary tomorrow. In 20 years, we might look back and laugh about how we once hung giant, rectangular screens on our walls. Maybe we’ll have holographic displays or immersive VR rooms where entertainment doesn’t just happen on a screen—it happens around us.

Until then, I’ll keep enjoying my 60-inch OLED, quietly marveling at how something once cutting-edge has become just another part of our daily lives.

Progress is weird like that.