IKEA Introduces ‘Uppleva,’ the TV of the Future

IKEA, the Swedish retailer famed for their simple designs and assemble-it-yourself furniture, has just announced they're going to start selling television sets. And before you even ask: no, you don't need to assemble the TV yourself. The LCD TVs are actually manufactured by Chinese partner TCL, but this being IKEA, you don't just get a standalone set.

IKEA calls it Uppleva, which in Swedish means "experience." And as showcased in the video below, IKEA answers all your questions as to why the people behind the cheap, er, we mean economical Lack table are now selling you TV sets for your living room.

So there you go, TVs and sound systems integrated into furniture -- we're officially going back to the 1950s.

Jokes aside, we're quite intrigued by Uppleva. It's a modular setup, customizable and comes in different colors. Dealing with tons of wires is a real hassle, so the hidden slots are a welcome feature. But the integrated solution of Blu-Ray/DVD player and sound system along with the TV means the Uppleva isn't going to find a market amongst cinephiles who like to pick each component of their A/V setup individually.

No word on when we can see the Uppleva here in America as IKEA have not announced pricing or release dates yet. (European stores will get them first.) Get a closer look at the TV of the future below.