Electronics giant LG has entered the fitness and wellness market with the launch of a new 15-inch touchscreen display created especially for the exercise equipment sector.

The new 15LU766A display has been designed specifically for fitness environments by offering higher-than-normal brightness settings and robust protection from liquids and dust – as well as allowing viewing from virtually any angle.

A graphical user interface also eliminates the need for channel up and down buttons, allowing exercisers to easily navigate TV programming.

The displays can be customised with branded content and unique user interfaces and LG plans to expand the add-on fitness line with a 22-inch model later this year.

South Korea-based LG has now also signed its first manufacturing fitness partner, Octane Fitness.

According to Tracey Estes, LG’s fitness senior account manager, Octane will offer the display as an add-on to select models of its commercial CV machines.

“Octane Fitness and LG worked closely together to develop a customised user experience and interface that provides simple, reliable access to TV programming and offers clients the opportunity to tie the displays into an existing network,” Estes said.

“That makes it a fantastic solution for all types of fitness providers.”

Nick Schuster, senior programme manager at Octane Fitness – a wholly-owned subsidiary of equipment giant Nautilus – said: “We chose to work with LG because their displays have class-leading picture quality and include IP (Internet protocol), digital and analog tuners to fit a variety of customer needs.

“They also provide content protection through Pro:Idiom DRM (digital rights management) software that simplifies setup and operation by separating the TV functions from the fitness machines functions.

"The custom interface, using LG’s Pro:Centric backbone, is exactly the type of modern improvement our clients and their customers demand.”

LG becomes the latest "main-stream" tech giant which is looking for the fitness sector to provide it with opportunities to grow its business, following the likes of Amazon, Facebook and Apple.