PRODUCT TRENDS SONY HAS
PRODUCT TRENDS SONY HAS ARRIVED SUPER SLIM SONY SETS REVEALED IN HALL OF TREES AND MIRRORS By M. Dezzani Sony launched three world firsts in their Bravia TV range at their 6,000 square metre stand, the largest at IFA, at a press conference Wednesday. The headliner was the debut of the Bravia ZX1, the world’s thinnest LCD TV, revealed rising from a puff of smoke. The Bravia Z4500 Motionflow is the first TV set with a 200Hz frame-rate and the Bravia EX1 is the world’s first Picture Frame TV with integrated High Definition connectivity. A European first is the launch of the TV XEL-1 using OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology. A string of new digital imaging, Blu-ray Disc and audio products were also launched, including the new S-series Walkman range. Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO Sony Corporation Sony Chairman Howard Stringer announced the ambitious goal that 90% of Sony’s products should have network connectivity by 2010. “It will be a compelling proposition to consumers in coming years.” Stringer also reiterated Sony’s intention to become the leader in the global LCD TV market. “We intend to strengthen our core business by competing for 1st place in the LCD TV market by strengthening our successful Bravia line. We are the first to bring the next generation of TV sets using OLED technology to market.” The screen of the XEL- 1 OLED set is just 3mm thick at it’s thinnest with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The world’s thinnest LCD TV, according to Sony, is the 40” Bravia ZX1, which uses Edge LED Technology, replacing backlit LEDs, permitting a width of just 9.9mm at its slimmest section. The set is designed to hang on walls with a high definition wireless link to a control box which can be discreetly stored. “It is thinner than a Blu-ray disc box”, commented Fuijo Nishida, President of Sony Europe. Fuijo Nishida, President of Sony Europe The BRAVIA EX1 is the world’s first LCD Picture Frame TV with integrated High Definition wireless and has been created specifically for the European market. “It represents a modern trend towards minimalist living”, comments Mr Fuijo Nishida. “The EX-1 represents the perfect lifestyle choice.” Following flat screen TV’s the emergence of the Bluray Disc as the winner of battle to become the support for High Definition content also offers opportunities for significant growth. A new high end player, the BDPS500ES is launched in Europe at IFA. Mr Stringer announced, “15 million Bluray Disc players & recorders have been sold world-wide, and demand for content will grow exponentially as the format moves from early adopters to the main - stream”. Mr Stringer reported that while sales growth in Western Europe are flat due to the economic downturn, other territories including Eastern Europe are still buoyant. “Eastern Europe is still resilient with 25% growth in the first six months of this year and Russia and the CIS states had almost 50% growth in the first quarter ’08, most of it coming from 20-29 year olds, a third of them female. We aim to double revenue in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) countries by the end of 2010”. Mr Stringer also says there has been a boom in new European Union member states with a ‘halo’ effect on neighbouring countries. In other product ranges, the colourful new Walkman S series was launched packed with cutting edge technology. Following the thin trend, it is just 7.5 mm wide and includes ‘Play Me’ software which automatically selects music from your collection to suit your mood. Sony is market leader on the digital imaging front and last May launched the world’s smallest HD handycam recorder, the TG3 which can be seen on their IFA stand. Also presented at IFA is the Cybershot DSC-T500 10.1 megapixel digital camera which will be on sale in Europe this September. Hall 4.2 / 101 22 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday, 29 th August 2008
The world’s first 200 Hertz LCD TV See it at IFA, Hall 4.2
