News Stories

TV war expected to rage at CES 2011

LG Electronics will unveil the largest three-dimensional (3D) television to date at next month’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, as it attempts to regain a reputation for innovation in the television business.

However, Samsung Electronics has no intention of letting its domestic rival steal the show at the world’s largest consumer technology trade fair, as it looks to have a series of Internet-enabled televisions at its booths.

Connected televisions and 3D flat-screens are considered the natural successors to the conventional liquid-crystal display (LCD) television sets of today. And Samsung and LG, the world’s two biggest television manufacturers in that order, are aiming for a bright start in these up-and-coming product segments and cement their positions in the market.

LG, which had been struggling to match the 3D television buzz generated by rivals Samsung and Sony in the past year, seems determined to make some noise by offering an in-your-face stereoscopic experience.

The company’s 72-inch 3D television, tagged the LZ9700, will probably remain as the industry’s largest model when it reaches consumers in the United States and other major markets during the first half of next year. The massive screen is supported by a “full’’ light-emitting diode (LED) backlighting system and also features a 480 hertz refresh rates, which helps to combat eyestrain and dizziness by reducing the flickering of images, LG officials said.

The television will also support Internet connectivity, which will allow viewers a variety of options in video-on-demand (VOD) content and applications atop of Web browsing.

LG hopes to find a significant demand for its 3D televisions in the U.S., home to a vibrant 3D content industry and where customers have been more willing to give these intriguing but unproven products a try. U.S. customers also appear to have a larger appetite for large-screen televisions than other consumers.

“We believe that our product will lead the transition toward large-screen 3D televisions,’’ said Havis Kwon, the head of LG’s home entertainment division.

Obviously, LG would love to duplicate the success of Samsung, which has been controlling the U.S. television market with authority. Samsung is likely to end the year as the top television brand in the U.S., which would mark the fifth consecutive year at the top, and the company hopes that its increasing sales in 3D and connected televisions will help extend its leadership for a sixth.

Through January and November, Samsung been topping the U.S. market segments for LCD, LED-backlit, 3D and Internet-enabled televisions, and has been boasting a 40 percent-plus share in the premium LCD televisions, according to market researcher NPD.

Samsung is looking to exploit the CES to generate more excitement for its upcoming televisions, and a significant part of its promotional efforts will be channeled for its “smart’’ televisions that are equipped with Internet connectivity and a wealth of sophisticated, interactive functions.

The company plans to launch a new lineup of connected televisions, dubbed “WOW’’ Smart TVs, with some of the models being unveiled at the CES, company officials said.

More than 2,500 technology companies around the world are to participate in the Jan. 6 to 9 CES, which claims to be the world’s largest consumer technology trade show and attracts around 126,600 visitors each year.

See original story here: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2010/12/129_78679.html

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