Tag: TV

YouTube recently announced five new features and tools for its increasingly important TV viewing interface, designed to enhance the presentation and visibility of creators' content on the living room screen, while also introducing new shopping channels. Kurt Wilms, Senior General Manager of Product Management for YouTube TV, noted in an official blog post that the living room is gradually becoming the "new prime time" for creators. According to internal YouTube data, the number of channels worldwide earning six-figure (USD) revenue through TV screens increased by more than 45% in the past year; and in Taiwan, viewers who log in spend an average of more than three hours a day watching YouTube on TV. To continue this momentum, YouTube is launching the following five major updates: Enhanced Picture Quality: Support for 4K thumbnails, introduction of AI automatic upscaling. To create a more eye-catching first impression on the big screen, YouTube will implement two picture quality upgrades: • Support for 4K...

Panasonic recently announced a reform of its group management strategy, which includes closing or selling off less profitable business units by fiscal year 2025. The company plans to close and restructure its home appliance business by fiscal year 2025, potentially splitting its home appliances, air conditioners, and lighting products into separate independent companies. Panasonic Group President Yuki Kusami stated that home appliances, cooking appliances, industrial equipment, and electromechanical systems are currently considered businesses with uncertain future growth prospects. Therefore, the company plans to discuss whether to close or further resell these businesses based on their development, product offerings, and operating regions. Regarding its television business, Panasonic currently believes that even if it were sold, no company would be willing to take it over due to the saturation of the current television market and the declining profitability of television products. Therefore, the company may ultimately choose to close its television business, but this is still under discussion. Regarding its home appliance business, Panasonic stated that it will leverage the cost advantages of manufacturing in China to drive globalization and expects to strengthen cooperation and resource transfer with the Chinese market. This is anticipated to further streamline its operations in Japan and improve operational efficiency. Furthermore, it plans to relocate manufacturing lines from Japan to China. In addition, the home appliance business may be restructured into an independent company under the name "Smart Life." The lighting business may be restructured into an independent company called "Electric Works." However, Yuki Kusami stated that restructuring is currently only a preliminary idea and no concrete decisions have been made. However, recent reports of falsified data in Panasonic's applications for safety and quality certification of electronic materials used in its home appliances by UL Solutions, resulting in the revocation of certifications for 10 electronic materials by UL Solutions, have raised concerns. While Panasonic has emphasized its commitment to regaining market trust and reapplying for certification, stating that it will not affect the home appliance business, it still appears there is a potential for some damage to its reputation. Regarding the slowdown in the electric vehicle market, Kusumi Osamu anticipates that there is still room for growth in automotive battery products. Therefore, he will continue to cooperate with automakers and expand investment in battery product development. Furthermore, he plans to increase Panasonic's profits by approximately 1500 billion yen in fiscal year 2026 and an additional 1500 billion yen by fiscal year 2028 through cost and employment structure adjustments and business streamlining measures by fiscal year 2025.

Besides revealing that Apple will launch its second-generation AirTag tracking device in the first half of 2025, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman also claimed that Apple internally discussed the possibility of manufacturing its own branded television products. The report indicates that Apple internally discussed the possibility of launching its own branded television product between 2009 and 2011, but it was ultimately canceled due to the inability to clearly differentiate it from other brands in the industry. However, given Apple's current massive product ecosystem, it may reconsider this product design. However, Apple already has a presence in the television market with Apple TV, and is also venturing into streaming video services, allowing iPhones, iPads, and Macs to connect to Apple TV. Users can even use Apple Fitness+ with their Apple Watch, using the large screen of Apple TV for workouts. It can also connect to HomeKit smart home appliances, making a separate branded television product seem unnecessary. Recent reports suggest Apple may launch a smart device that integrates HomePod and iPad, serving as a central hub for HomeKit-connected smart home appliances. This device would also support music playback, video streaming, and online video calls, and could interact with the Siri digital assistant. Meanwhile, Apple appears to be developing a wall-mounted display device that could function as a control center for connected home devices, also supporting Siri and video interaction. It would resemble a "square iPad." This device is expected to be officially unveiled around March 2025, likely at Apple's upcoming spring event. Overall, Apple may be further strengthening its HomeKit connectivity and expanding its smart IoT applications to create a more seamless product chain, resulting in a more intuitive user experience and attracting more users to Apple products.

According to statistics from the end of June this year, streaming video services in the United States have gradually caught up with cable TV usage. Earlier data released by Nielsen showed that by July, streaming video service viewership had increased to 34.8%, surpassing cable TV's 34.4%. However, if the approximately 21.6% viewership of terrestrial television is included, streaming video service usage has not yet completely surpassed traditional television usage. But given the current growth trend of streaming video service usage, completely surpassing traditional television usage is clearly only a matter of time. In Nielsen's statistics, Netflix remains the most used streaming video service in the United States, accounting for approximately 8% of usage, followed by YouTube at 7.3%, and Hulu at 3.6%. Amazon Prime Video has a 3% share, and Disney+ has only 1.8%. This statistical data only includes usage data viewed on television devices, excluding usage via mobile phones, tablets, or PCs. Given the significant differences in current user viewing behavior, the use of streaming video services may already far exceed the proportion of viewing content on traditional television. Furthermore, the usage percentages of different streaming video services may vary, as more and more people are accustomed to watching content on streaming services like Netflix and YouTube via mobile phones and tablets. However, the fact that streaming video services on television devices are now surpassing cable television usage indicates a significant shift in users' content viewing needs.

With more and more brands entering the competitive TV market, reports indicate that Amazon is also planning to launch its own brand of televisions, expected to debut in the US market as early as October. Amazon's own-brand TVs may be manufactured by companies like TCL, with sizes ranging from 55 to 75 inches, and will integrate Amazon's services such as Alexa and Prime Video. Furthermore, reports suggest that Amazon may launch a self-designed TV model, but details are currently unconfirmed. This is not Amazon's first foray into the TV market; it has previously entered the market with its Fire TV series, subsequently licensing its Fire TV software to brands like Toshiba, and even licensing the Amazon Basic brand for TV-related products in India. Amazon has not yet responded to these reports, but launching a more affordable TV under the Amazon Basic brand in the US market, combined with Amazon's services, could potentially attract more consumers.

At Redmi's aggressive product launch event, the highlight was the new 86-inch Redmi Max TV. In terms of specifications, the Redmi Max TV features a 4K LCD panel with local dimming backlighting, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate and dynamic compensation effects. It also boasts 92% DCI-P3 wide color gamut display and Delta-E ≤ 2 color accuracy. Furthermore, it supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. For audio, it utilizes dual 12.5W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos surround sound. Other features include a new HDMI 2.1 port with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) input and MIUI for TV 3.0, supporting voice control via Xiao Ai (Xiaomi's AI assistant). Users can also switch between simplified, children's, and office modes to suit their needs. During its introduction, Redmi emphasized that the Redmi Max TV, with its 86-inch design, can be transported directly through most types of elevators, unlike the commercially available 98-inch models which can only be moved to users' homes using cranes or similar methods (though smaller models are still not feasible). Furthermore, the packaging edges have been redesigned for easier transport, and new shock-absorbing materials have been added to reduce damage during handling. The suggested retail price for the Redmi Max TV is RMB 7999, which translates to approximately NT$35,000. It is expected to be available in the Chinese market on March 4th.

After revealing numerous details recently, OPPO officially unveiled its first TV products today (October 19th): the flagship S1 and the general market-oriented R1. In addition, OPPO also announced the Enco X true wireless Bluetooth earbuds with noise cancellation and the new Watch RX smartwatch. The flagship R1 features a 65-inch 4K OLED panel built with quantum dot technology, supporting 10.7 billion colors and 120% NTSC wide color gamut. It uses a 210-group backlight array with a maximum brightness of 1500 nits, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a display latency of less than 20ms, while also supporting HDR. The body is made of unibody aluminum alloy and features a floating stand. The TV also includes a pop-up camera for common video applications. For audio, it features 18 speakers, delivering a 5.1.2 channel surround sound effect. The sound is tuned by Dynaudio and supports Dolby Atmos technology. Other specifications include a MediaTek S900 (MT9950) TV processor, supporting 8K video decoding, 8.5GB of RAM, 120GB of storage, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and an HDMI 2.1 port. The operating system is ColorOS TV, based on Android, and includes the Breeno digital assistant. It also supports NFC for quick connection to OPPO phones, allowing users to stream content from their phones to the TV screen. As for the R1, which targets the general market demand, it will be available in 65-inch and 55-inch sizes. The display panel supports 93% DCI-P3 wide color gamut and uses a MediaTek MT9652 TV processor, supporting MEMC dynamic compensation technology. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity and Dolby Atmos technology. However, unlike the S1's pop-up camera design, the R1 uses an external accessory to access the camera. The software also uses the Android-based ColorOS TV interface. The Enco X true wireless Bluetooth earbuds, launched at the same time, are also tuned in collaboration with Dynaudio. The earbuds use a 6mm driver and an 11mm dynamic driver, and support the LHDC (Low-Latency Hi-Definition Audio Codec) high-quality Bluetooth codec. They also feature a dual-core noise-canceling chip, providing two levels of noise cancellation and a transparency mode that allows you to hear ambient sounds. Calls also support noise cancellation, and the earbuds use Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity. In addition, the Enco X supports IP54 water resistance and is operated via touch controls on the outside of the earbuds. Its built-in battery provides approximately 5.5 hours of playback time, which increases to 25 hours with the charging case. It can also be wirelessly charged. The other smartwatch, the Watch RX, features a 43mm round face design with a 1.28-inch AMOLED panel. The watch body is made of stainless steel, and the strap boasts high breathability and shock absorption. However, this smartwatch will initially be available for internal testing starting November 1st; a specific release date and price have not yet been determined.

While previous reports indicated that Xiaomi planned to launch its TV products in Taiwan, a recent announcement confirmed that it will first introduce the 34-inch curved screen announced at the end of last year, featuring a 21:9 aspect ratio, a 144Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync technology. The suggested retail price will be NT$12995, with limited orders accepted daily at 10 AM from August 17th to 22nd. This is roughly the same price as the grey market prices currently being sold in Taiwan by Xiaomi distributors, but the Xiaomi-sold version naturally offers the advantage of official after-sales service and repairs. This curved screen is 34 inches, with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a resolution of 3440 x 1440 (WQHD), 121% sRGB wide color gamut, 85% NTSC color gamut, 8-bit color control, a 144Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync anti-tearing technology. In addition, the screen has a response time of 4 milliseconds, corresponding to a brightness of 300 nits and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. The screen bezel is only 2mm, and it supports height adjustment, tilt, and swivel, as well as wall mounting and a well-organized internal wiring design for the screen stand. The screen supports single-screen output, split-screen display, or picture-in-picture mode. Connectivity ports include two HDMI 2.0 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, and it comes with a 3-year warranty.

Francis Wang, Marketing Chief of realme India, confirmed earlier that the company will unveil its first TV product at MWC 2020, and also hinted at plans to enter the laptop market. Previously, Wang Wei, Global Product President of realme, also revealed in an interview that the company is investing in TV product development, but emphasized that it will adopt a differentiated development strategy for different regions of the global market, meaning the TV product may only be launched in specific markets. According to realme's previous statements, the company will focus more on smart IoT (AIoT) applications, expanding to personal, home, and outdoor scenarios. For example, it has already announced the launch of headphones, and the upcoming TV product is expected to target the home market, while outdoor products will include backpacks, power banks, and suitcases. Besides realme, Chinese brands including Huawei and OnePlus have launched smart TV products, while Xiaomi has been promoting TV products in markets including China and India for a long time and has also invested considerable time in the development of smart IoT. Details of realme's planned TV and laptop products are not yet confirmed, but they are expected to be built using realme's "Dare to Leap" development philosophy.

Huawei's previously teased "Smart Screen" product, though not unveiled at IFA 2019, was instead revealed at the Munich launch event alongside the Mate 30 series, and will indeed be called Huawei Smart Screen (HUAWEI Vision). According to Huawei's details, the Smart Screen will feature a 4K resolution quantum dot screen supporting a 120Hz refresh rate, contrary to previous rumors of an 8K resolution design. It will also lack 5G connectivity, supporting only 4G. For audio, it features an "8+1+1" speaker design, including eight mid-high frequency speakers and one mid-low frequency speaker, along with a sound reflector to create a suitable sound field using beamforming technology for a more realistic listening experience. The built-in pop-up camera has facial recognition capabilities, primarily used to distinguish different users in the home and access different applications. Huawei has not revealed the operating system used in the Smart Screen, but it is expected to use its HarmonyOS operating system. Regarding application functionality, Huawei emphasizes that users can quickly share content from their phones to the Huawei Smart Screen via HUAWEI Share technology. They can even use their phones as a remote control to quickly project content onto the Huawei Smart Screen. Furthermore, it supports connectivity with a wider range of IoT devices. Currently, the Huawei Smart Screen will offer 65-inch and 75-inch sizes, two popular options in the market. A more widespread 55-inch version and a larger 85-inch version are also expected in the future, but specific pricing and release dates have not yet been confirmed.