tvfindr News & Trends

The TV market seems to be increasingly aware of the fact that 8K devices are lagging behind in terms of sales success for various reasons, and first manufacturers like TCL seem to have finally realized this. Meanwhile, the focus seems to change. Thus, attention could increasingly go to a display that is as smooth as possible and free of streaks.

Instead of additional 8K TVs, which only attract a few consumers, there is now more and more interest in 4K240. However, what has already found its way into monitors would first have to arrive in the TV landscape. Apart from a few exceptions with 144 frames per second, 120 hertz is still the measure of all things. 

At CES2023, for example, Samsung showcased the first OLED-based TV panel with an input signal of native 240 hertz behind closed doors. Laptops and monitors with such a high frame rate were already launched at the end of 2022. An additional will follow later this year. 

TCL will launch a TV with 240 hertz at half the vertical resolution via VRR before the end of this year. Whether LG Display will follow suit at this point is only a question of time. Advantages are mainly in the field of post-next-gen consoles and sports broadcasts.

The Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL announced an expansion of its portfolio at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. According to the published press release, a QD-OLED was mentioned that will be launched this year. Now the picture has been retracted by the company. 

At the time, the corresponding passage was mistakenly included in the press release. TCL will thus continue to focus fully on mini-LED technology. Since Philips has not yet made an official announcement in this area – despite recently expressed interest and an evaluation – Samsung and Sony remain the only two manufacturers with QD TVs on the market for now.

This year, Samsung plans to add new 4K as well as fresh 8K TVs to its Neo QLED portfolio again. This includes the QN900C, QN800C, QN700C models coming up from the 8K segment and the UHD lineup with with the QN95C, QN90C and QN85C. High-end models will have more dimming zones than their predecessors, further minimizing the blooming effect.

Within the 8K devices, a 12K mini-LEDs backlight will be used with control of up to 1300 zones. Samsung also emphasizes the TVs’ “14-bit processing and AI upscaling,” but only in relation to the backlight controller and not the LCDLCD = Liquid Crystal Display – a type of screen using liquid crystals for creating the image panel. So far, however, it is unclear whether the TVs will also support HDMI 2.1 QMS.

Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, has announced the Philips Hue Sync TV app at CES 2023, which will be available exclusively for Samsung TVs. The app will be compatible with Samsung’s upcoming generation of TVs, as well as all previous year models starting with the Q60B, including the 8K range.

The software will allow Philips Hue LEDs to be color-matched to the content of TV shows or movies by tapping into the image signal on the phone and using that to control the lights. An external HDMI Sync Box is not required, but use of the interface requires payment of a 130 euro fee.

Sony has unveiled the second generation of its PlayStation VR headset during its CES 2023 press conference, designed specifically for use with the PlayStation 5. The long-awaited virtual reality headset, dubbed PlayStation VR2, features eye-tracking, haptic feedback in the VR2 Sense controller, 3D spatial sound, and a feedback function.

The features of the VR2 Sense Controller, which offers haptic feedback from the triggers, are particularly noteworthy. With these new features, Sony aims to improve immersion and realism in the virtual environment and take the user experience to a new level.

The TCL electronics group will launch two new product families this year. The S-series includes entry-level models, while the Q-series will offer TVs from the mid- and high-end class. The flagship of the Q series is the QM8, which has more dimming zones and higher peak brightness than its predecessor. Later this year, TCL also plans to release an additional screen with up to 3000 nits and 5000 dimming zones.

Samsung will launch two new QD-OLED TVs this year, joining last year’s S95B model. The two new models are named S95C and S90C and are announced by Samsung Display with a peak luminance of up to 2000 nitsSI unit of luminance: 1 nit = 1 cd/m² – The best way of measuring and comparing a TVs brightness  . The devices are also certified with AMD FreeSyncVariable Refresh Rate with AMD graphics cards or consoles Pro, but still do without Dolby Vision.

Panasonic introduced the new OLED TV model MZ2000 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The device is equipped with Micro Lens Array technology and a new cooling system that ensures a peak brightness of almost 1500 nits. This allows the flagship to stand out significantly from a predecessor. The OLED will be available in 55- and 65-inch sizes and will start arriving at retailers in the fall. However, the 77-inch version will not benefit from the new panel technology.

LG will launch the G3 based on the so-called Meta technology before the end of this year. Thanks to Micro Lens Array and a sharper driving algorithm that is supposed to enable a luminance of 1800 nits at peak on the panel, the G3 – according to LG – can increase up to 70% in luminosity compared to last year’s model. The OLED TV will have a zero-gap design that makes it flush with the surface of the wall and will be available starting in spring.

As it has now become known, the South Korean company is planning to extend its QD-OLED portfolio. Specifically, this concerns the introduction of a 77-inch variant based on that display technology. Samsung would thus close the gap to conventional WOLED-based devices in this size range.

The presentation of a corresponding model is expected to take place at the CES next year and will have features like HDMI 2.1, a gaming HUB, and of course HDR. Philips could also jump on the QD bandwagon in 2023. Currently, the Dutch-Chinese company is checking the implementation.

The screen producer LG Display, which among others also supplies LG Electronics and Sony, will discontinue its production of LCDLCD = Liquid Crystal Display – a type of screen using liquid crystals for creating the image panels for TV sets in the South Korean P7 factory at the Paju site before the end of December. Although the LG subsidiary will also provide additional capacity at its Chinese plant in Guangzhou, it will only do so with a production volume of 60 percent. 

In terms of quantities, this means a drop in monthly production of 90,000 to 120,000 units. In the future, the entire production line of LCDs could be abandoned and switched to OLEDs. According to the company’s own statement, the capacity requirements are already in place.

From now on, owners of older Philips TVs can get an update of their operating system. The electronics manufacturer leaves out version 10 and jumps directly to Android 11, which is the current OS version of its 2022 lineup. However, it usually takes several weeks or even months until the over-the-air update arrives. Once installed, the software is supposed to bring some small improvements.

These include the implementation of voice recognition via the Gboard TV keyboard, ALLM support for apps, Instant Apps, and wider support for input devices like Nintendo’s Switch Pro model via Bluetooth and USB, and Valve’s Steam controller via USB. A manual download via link is not available.

The following models are included:

OLED935, OLED805, PUS9235, PUS9005, PUS8505, OLED984, OLED934, OLED854, OLED804, PUS8804, PUS7504, PUS7304

The South Korean electronics company has barely launched the first true alternative over conventional OLEDs on the market with its QD OLED technology, and there are already more possible projects for the future hovering on the horizon.

Samsung Display, the subsidiary responsible for panel production, recently acquired an inkjet-based manufacturing solution that could be used to produce QD devices with 8K resolution in addition to high-resolution monitors in the future. TVs with such a high pixel pitch are still controversial for various reasons and have not really been able to establish themselves on the TV market yet.

TP Vision, the parent company of Philips, is also considering adding TV models with QD technology to its lineup. However, the company would first have to buy the corresponding technology from Samsung Display. If this path is actually taken, Philips would be the third manufacturer to enter the market with such panels, alongside Samsung and Sony. Danny Tack, Head of Product Strategy, recently announced this possibility in an interview.

At the beginning of this year, the South Korean electronics manufacturer released the so-called Gaming Hub for its 2022 TVs and thus paved the way for cloud gaming directly via the TV without a console. Owners of devices from the 2021 lineup will be also provided with this feature and can download the respective apps from the App Store in the next few weeks. However, the Gaming Hub interface will initially continue to be available exclusively on 2022 models.

Smart TVs that will also feature game streaming in the future: QN700A, QN800A, QN850A, QN900A, WS1A, LS03A, AU7000, AU8000, AU9000, Q50A, Q60A, Q70A, Q80A, QN85A, QN90A and QN95A

More services such as Antstream and Blacknut are expected to follow next year and then be available for TVs starting with the 2021 model year.

Introduced in August, the top models from the series 9 are now available in Germany and the UK. Alongside the new miniLED TV PML9507 in 55″, 65“ and a 75″ version, you can now also buy the two OLEDs 907 and 937. The former is available in 48″, 55″ and 65 inches. Philips also offers the latter in 77 inches in addition to a 65-inch variant.

All three models support Dolby Vision and come with the Android TV 11 OS. The two OLED TVs also have a heat sink that is supposed to boost the OLED EX panel up to 1300 nits of peak brightness and a sound system from Bowers and Wilkins in each case.. In terms of pricing, the new TVs are also on the expected high level.

Compared to the previous year, almost 20 percent less televisions were sold in Germany between July and September, according to the gfu. A total of one million new sets changed hands during this period, generating sales revenues of EUR 668 million. However, this is also a decline of almost 25 percent. With a unit volume of over 130,000 and a market share of 13 percent, OLED models continue to become steadily more popular. LED TVs have lost much more ground in relation to them.

The reasons remain the same: Due to the Corona situation, many consumers stocked up on new models earlier than planned. Added to this is the geopolitical situation and the associated price increases for energy costs and food.

Game streaming is no longer a novelty, and it is now even possible to play directly on a compatible TV without a console or pc. Some time ago, Netflix already announced that it would jump on this Cloud Gaming bandwagon. Now it became known that the streaming giant has no less than 55 games in development. At least 14 of them come from the company itself and are being worked on by internal studios.

Whether the plan will actually work in the now highly competitive market is something that only the coming years will show. Google recently announced that it would discontinue its Stadia service because the streaming platform for games was no longer profitable.

Due to the global economic slowdown, inflation and geopolitical uncertainties, analyst firm TrendForce does not expect demand for LCD panels to increase into the coming year. Due to the covid pandemic, demand for consumer electronics rose at that time and thus also the prices until the first half of last year. The subsequent drop in demand led to sharply falling prices, which even fell below pre-Corona levels. By 2023, supply could rise even further and increasingly push prices down.

In order to push its business with the in-house operating system further forward, LG will focus on the so-called webOS Hub in the future. This will allow partners who have licensed the OS from the South Korean electronics manufacturer to make a variety of changes to the user interface in the future and thus customize the UI experience to their own liking. As a result, consumers who purchase a TV from a brand partner will receive a customized version of LG’s popular control center in the future.

Buyers of new, but also owners of existing LG TVs, who are interested in cloud gaming, can now use Google’s Stadia Pro service for three months free of charge. This applies to all TVs with webOS 5.0 or higher.

The offer can be found in LG’s Content Store. Once there, you just have to scan a QR code and complete the subscription process on your smartphone.

The new LCD TV by Philips are now available in Germany and Europe.  While the higher-priced ones are equipped with Android 11, the Philips 7607 uses the Linux-based Saphi. The new Game Bar is especially aimed at console owners and summarizes almost all important information like frame rate, resolution and more in a compact way.

During a Quartal 2022 conference call, LG Display confirmed that negotiations with Samsung have been unsuccessful so far, as Korea Bizwire reports. As a result, a supply solution has not yet been found. According to a source, the companies could not agree on the price.

What had happened? Samsung reportedly started negotiating a deal to buy WOLED panels from LG’s subsidiary back in April 2021. Presumably, Samsung wanted to place cheaper OLED models below the new QD OLED TV S95B this way. However, the debate does not seem to be completely off the table yet.

As reported by the gfu in its sales survey for the first half of 2022, TV sales decreased by a total of 17 percentage in comparison to the same period last year. However, OLED TVs are increasing in popularity despite this trend and were even able to increase by 13 points with 295,000 units sold, according to the report. In terms of the total number of devices sold, OLEDs now make up almost one third. 

The decline had been expected due to the strong sales years 2020 and 2021 and was therefore by no means surprising. However, considering the upcoming World Cup in November and December and the – usually – stronger sales in the second half of the year, the sales could get a significant boost again.

In an interview on the occasion of the quarterly results, the co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings, commented on the future of classic television broadcasting. In his opinion, the so-called “linear television” will be a thing of the past in 10 years at the latest, as streaming is clearly on the rise.

In June, Netflix reached its all-time high market share of 7.7 percent in the U.S., putting it on par with the two most-watched tv stations, CBS and NBC.

Anyone who buys a German promotional model of the electronics manufacturer’s 2022 lineup by December 31 will get a huge streaming package for free. Depending on the device, the company is giving out gift codes for subscriptions of up to 12 months as part of this promotion. Streamingproviders like Magenta TV, RTL+, Zattoo, WOW, Sportworld, waiput.tv, and Qobuz are among those.

The South Korean electronics company is freshening up its lineup with several new lifestyle TVs. Among them are the digital picture frame TV “The Frame” and the easel-like “The Serif”. Both models will feature a matte display this time.

Especially works of art, which you can either purchase directly or get on your screen via subscription, are supposed to look more real. Movies and series, on the other hand, are supposed to have a lower-contrast impression. While “The Serif” is only available in sizes from 43 to 65 inches, you can choose from a diagonal of 32 to 85 inches for “The Frame”.

The corporate giant is redesigning the user interface of its streaming app Amazon Prime Video. In the future, you will navigate through the subsections of the service via a menu on the left side. This should make navigation easier and more clearly overall.

The update is expected to be released in the next few weeks and will then gradually find its way to all TVs and platforms. First on all common operating systems such as Android and Google TV, then on mobile devices and consoles.

As part of its corporate strategy, the South Korean electronics group is now expanding the licensing of its in-house operating system webOS even further and intends to license the control center to around 200 TV manufacturers from the low-end sector in the future.

Last year, a total of 20 brands – including Blaupunkt and Konka – were already supplied with the software. LG is looking to reposition itself as a software company in the future. “We can’t survive by just selling devices,” a senior executive was quoted.

Amazon is once again turning the price screws and provides you with numerous top offers for the hottest TVs long before this year’s Black Friday.

To make sure you don’t miss out on any deal, we recommend that you take a regular look at our best tvs and the current deals during the large-scale discount campaign. There you will always be up to date and won’t miss any special offers. The fastest way to do this is to save both links as your favorites.

The tvfindr team wishes you a lot of fun with your bargain hunt!

Sony’s first QD OLED, the A95K, is now available for purchase. The direct competitor to Samsung’s S95B also comes with a new display technology and provides an additional boost to the already high quality level of OLEDs. Besides this new flagship, you can now also buy the conventional models from the other three series, the A75K, A80K and the A90K.

As reported by the South Korean technology website “TheElec”, Samsung is temporarily halting the production of LCDs due to insufficient demand. Several panel manufacturers such as BOE and CSOT are affected. Initially, this step will last until the end of July. If there is no significant change in the stock until then, the decision could remain even beyond that. Samsung has already reduced the delivery target from 45 million expected units originally to 40 million today.

According to information from Sammobile, Samsung has announced that it will support Philips Hue Lightbars with the upcoming SmartThings update. The dimmable lights synchronize with the TV’s screen – similar to Ambilight – and would thus be an interesting alternative solution to Philips’ intelligent backlight. However, it is not yet clear when the update will be released.

Owners of Sony LCD TVs built in 2021 and 2022 will receive a new firmware update with the version number v6.5929. The software update now allows you to select the VRR mode in combination with “Auto Local Dimming” and not only benefit from a smoother display when gaming, but also from an adjusted contrast at the same time.

If you want to turn your TV up to full capacity in VRR, you can now also do that via the “Maximum Brightness” option.

With the release of the Gaming Hub last week, Samsung also jumped on the cloud gaming bandwagon. Barely a few days old, the South Korean TV manufacturer now implements the paid game streaming platform Luna on its smart TVs alongside Google Stadia, xCloud and GeForce Now. Thus, your game library will again increase in terms of variety.

Numerous gaming controllers are supported. These include the DualSense controller from Playstation and a range of Xbox controllers. According to Samsung, your TV needs to have program version 1302.5 to use the service.

With the Philips PUS7607 and PUS 7657, Philips has introduced two new LCD TVs with 60 HertzHertz is the derived SI-unit of frequency with 1Hz=1/s – When talking about TVs this means how many different pictures a TV can display in one second. panels, HDMI 2.0 and the new Saphi interface. This is supposed to provide clearer menu structure and thus simplify navigations. The main difference between the two models lies in the color scheme. While Philips paints the PUS7607 matte black, the PUS 7657 gets a silver finish. In addition, the stand of the 50″ and 55″ variants has two adjustment positions. Both are available in 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″ and 70-inch sizes each.

According to a report from The Elec, the electronics manufacturer from South Korea is planning to produce micro-LED TVs based on LTPS TFTs in the third quarter of this year. By using this technology, Samsung will be able to manufacture its TVs smaller in the future.

As an explanation: LTPS is the abbreviation for Low Temperature Pole Silicon. Due to this overall more compact design, pixel sizes can be kept smaller. Thus, a higher pixel density is realized. The required panels are provided by AUO, a Taiwanese display manufacturer. The production start already scheduled for May was delayed due to the pandemic situation and price problems.

Following the OLED models A90K and A75K, which have been available for pre-order for a short time, the first two mini LED TVs, the Z9K and the X95K, have now appeared in the Japanese electronics manufacturer’s store and will be available to you shortly. Besides OLEDs and the new QD OLEDs, Sony now also provides the market of backlit TVs with the smaller LED version. 

Sony has announced that the two OLED TVs Bravia XR Master Series A90K and Bravia XR A75K are now available for pre-order. While the A75K is available in 55 and 65 inches, the A90K is only available in 42 and 48 inches for now. In addition, the Japanese electronics manufacturer starts a cashback campaign where you can get up to 300 Euros back, depending on the TV model.

With electronics manufacturer BOE from China, there will be more activity in the supplier market for OLED displays in the future. While LG Display was the only producer of panels with self-luminous pixels for a long time, Samsung is now also focusing on this sector with its subsidiary Samsung Display. 

Soon, a third player will now step into the market, which could cause prices to drop in the OLED sector. The company wants to deliver the first 300,000 panels in sizes from 55 to 95 inches to cooperation partners before the end of this year. 

As the independent analyst firm Omdia has now announced, revenues from television sales are expected to fall by around 15 percent worldwide in 2022 to around USD 133 billion. The reason, it said, was the ongoing pandemic situation in previous years and the increased interest in TV sets during this period.

Microsoft and Samsung have announced that the Xbox app, which lets you stream over 100 Xbox games, will appear on Samsung TVs from 2022 on June 30. This means that you only need a controller to play and no longer need your own console.

As part of this year’s Milan Design Week, LG unveiled two new OLED TVs in cooperation with premium lifestyle brand Moooi from the Netherlands. The exclusive design of “Easel” and “Posé” is called the LG OLED Object Collection.

The special feature: Via remote control, you activate a fabric cover that virtually shrinks the visible screen area. In addition to an Evo panel and the new A9 processor, LG offers a 4.2-channel sound system with a total output of 80 watts. 

The most popular TV in gaming gets a limited Star Wars special edition limited to 501 copies. The design of the LG OLED evo C2 in 65 inch has been slightly adapted in cooperation with Lucasfilm, and some changes have been made. On the back, the C2 – kept completely in black – has been furnished with the emblem of the Galactic Empire.

When powering up, Darth Vader’s world-famous rattle can be heard. The navigation mouse becomes a lightsaber and on the TV’s packaging you’ll be greeted by the dark father. New artwork from the Star Wars universe is also waiting in Gallery Mode. Of course, each version comes with a certificate of authenticity. The special version will likely be sold out quickly despite the slight price increase to 3,300 Euros.

It was planned that the subsidiary of Samsung Electronics would stop producing LCD displays in 2020 already. However, due to the ongoing pandemic situation, Samsung Display continued production at the explicit request of the parent company. In June, however, it will finally stop and no more liquid crystal displays will roll off the production line. The reason: Samsung simply cannot keep up with the falling prices and the tough market situation.

When it comes to televisions, Germany is now almost only familiar with one thing: Smart TVs! In the past four months of this year, 96 percent of over 1.6 million televisions sold were so-called smart TVs. That is 2 percent more than in the previous year. In terms of screen diagonal, the 55-inch size leads the way with 44 percent. This is followed by 65-inch TVs with over 20 percent.

Although Samsung Electronics is still in negotiations with LG to deliver WOLED TV panels, a launch of low-cost OLED TVs this year seems to be off the table. The reason is decreasing demand due to the overall decline in the Covid 19 pandemic infection situation. This is also accompanied by a drop in prices for LCD screens. So the South Korean TV manufacturer is currently in no hurry.

According to the British market research company Omdia, global sales of televisions will decline by around 20 percent in 2022. The analysts name the removal of corona restrictions and rising inflation as the reason. In addition, the market is expected to shift to the newer OLED technology and sales of LED-LCD televisions will decrease accordingly.

The Chinese electronics company has launched the world’s first true 8K QLED display. The 55-inch 8K AMQLED display is able to combine electroluminescence – already used in OLED panels – and quantum dot technology. According to BOE, this makes the display the first active self-emitting quantum dot display of its kind.

Samsung continues to negotiate with LG Display in order to increase its small OLED portfolio. However, the ongoing talks have been unsuccessful so far. Accordingly, no additional OLED models from the South Korean manufacturer could be launched this year. 

It has now been announced that Samsung has postponed the production of a first pilot production of displays with the so-called Quantum Dot Nanorod LED technology. This also pushes back the market launch. Nanorod LEDs are smaller than the previous mini-LEDs and are supposed to further improve the display performance.

Panasonic has unveiled its TV lineup for this year at an online press event. With the models LZW2004, LZW1004 and LZW984, the company also addresses the German market. The whole product portfolio will be equipped with the new OLED.EX panel. The Japanese TV manufacturer also promises more gaming features and a 42-inch size.

LG unveiled the first TV with the so-called OLED.EX technology at SID 2022. The panel of the 97-inch giant is said to increase in brightness by up to 30 percent thanks to deuterium, while at the same time treating the pixels with more care and thus increasing their lifespan.

At this year’s ISE in Barcelona, Samsung will reveal a new type of modular micro-LED display with the smallest pixel pitch in any panel yet produced by the manufacturer – the so-called The Wall Display technology. A total of three fresh models of this kind will be presented during the convention.   

LG Display is already thinking beyond the OLED evo panel and will probably equip its TVs with so-called “micro-lenses” next year. This new technology should ensure that the comparatively dark OLED TVs make a leap in brightness. Up to 1200 nits should be possible. At the same time, the energy consumption will also be reduced.

From now on, the latest models of LG OLED TVs are available in Europe – including the UK – and the US. This covers the B2, C2 and G2 series, among others. The A2 with 60 Hz and Z2 with 8K resolution will follow later this year.

Sony’s QD OLEDs will be available in the US in June. Now the Japanese TV manufacturer announced the prices for its upcoming model lineup. The top-of-the-line 65-inch A95K model will cost $4,000. The smaller A90K series is priced at $1500 for the 48-inch device.

According to a new study by Omdia, customers remain skeptical when it comes to 8K TV, as there is still little content available that adds significant value to TVs otherwise. The significantly higher price also continues to deter customers.

VRRVariable Refresh Rate – synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the output refresh rate of the graphics card support via HDMI 2.1 is now available on all PlayStation 5 consoles. A simple restart of the console should be enough here and no update is necessary.

Samsung Display is apparently planning to expand its QD OLED portfolio by the sizes 49 and 77 inches next year. Most likely with a resolution of 4K. Therefore, other TV manufacturers could also expand their product portfolios in the upcoming years.

As part of the iF Design Awards, Philips has released the first information and images of the top-of-the-line Philips OLED907 and OLED937 models. The new lineup is announced for the 2nd quarter of this year.

Both companies plan to implement advertising in their games in the future, either appearing in free-to-play titles or being part of normal games like stadium advertising in sports games.

TCL‘s huge 98-inch QLED model features full array local dimming, HDMI 2.1, Dolby VisionDynamic HDR-format with a color depth of up to 12 Bits and Mastering of up to 10,000 Nits, and Google TV.

From now on you can find all the new TVs of this year’s lineup at Samsung directly or in stores!

So far, only high-end LG TVs are capable of Dolby VisionDynamic HDR-format with a color depth of up to 12 Bits and Mastering of up to 10,000 Nits gaming, but the feature is expected to be available on more TVs in 2023 through a new MediaTek chip. This includes TVs from Panasonic, Philips, Samsung and Sony.

According to The Elec, Samsung has officially started developing an even thinner QD OLED panel. This would make the panel rollable and additionally save material costs.