Smart TVs unveiled in Vegas

The president of Hisense called 2017 a "critical year" for the TV industry, amidst new announcements of product lineups from Hisense and TCL, on Wednesday at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, both emphasizing the importance of smart TVs in the age of the smart home ecosystem.

"2017 is a 'critical moment' for the TV industry," said Liu Hongxin, president of Hisense. "Global TV manufacturers are approaching a technology 'intersection' and many choose to focus their future product development on different technology innovations."

"As China's largest manufacturer and one of the world's top three TV manufacturers, we would also like to announce and share our technology and product roadmap," he said.

Hisense, based in Qingdao, announced the release of a new 4K TV measuring 100 inches (diagonally), which is HDR compatible. The television will be available in the summer for $12,999.99.

Its line-up of new smart TVs includes the H10D 4K ULED Smart TV, with 70- and 75-inch versions, and the H9D and H9D Plus 4K ULED Smart TVs, available at smaller sizes of 50, 55, 65, and 75 inches. All will be available in early 2017.

Larger screen sizes - 65 and 86 inches - will be newly available in its H8D 4K Smart TV series, which customers ranked as offering the same picture quality as premium brands like Samsung, and significantly above budget brands like Vizio, according to Jerry Liu, CEO of Hisense Americas.

"Hisense recognizes that without easy access to content, picture quality is irrelevant. The newly redesigned Hisense Smart TV platform offers quick and easy one-touch access to all of the content consumers want, including a full web browser for Hisense brand 4K televisions," the company said in a statement.

In North America, its TVs will come preinstalled with apps like Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, and VUDU. Hisense will also release a new line of Roku TVs that pair with the Roku media player that will give customers access to the US-based streaming entertainment company's library of more than 4,500 channels offering films and television.

TCL, the Guangdong-based electronics company, unveiled products from its new X series, the X2 and X3, which feature ultra slim bodies at 7.9mm and 6.9mm thick, respectively. The televisions have edgeless bodies and a color gamut that's more than 50 percent wider than other LED televisions, the company said.

The X2 and X3, which are available in 55" and 65" versions, also utilizes QD display technology, Dolby Vision and MEMC technology.

The TVs feature six Harmon Kardon speakers and are equipped with Bluetooth audio, which allows users to listen to audio from the TV through their smartphones.

"We're a smart-manufacturing technology organization coming out with smart products," said Ranjit Gopi, head of marketing at TCL. "We are today in 2017 one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, with our overseas volumes at plus-44 percent."

"At TCL, we're going to redefine smart TV. We're doing that in three steps. First, smart TV requires great partners," he said. "It also requires smart contemporary design. Today in the smart era, with smart consumers like you that want it all, design is so important, and that pushes industrial capability.

"We're focused on the latest technology, on picture quality and sound experience. What we want today is entertainment - entertainment to contact and to bond," he said.

The X series TVs will be sold in the second quarter of this year, he said.

The TVs will be available through authorized retailers and e-commerce platforms in Asia, the Americas, Europe and Africa.

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com