Japan Makers Display 4K TVs at Las Vegas Show

Las Vegas, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)--This year's International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, kicked off in Las Vegas on Tuesday for a four-day run, with Japanese companies showcasing so-called 4K ultra-high-resolution television sets. The world's biggest consumer electronics show comes at a time when global demand for 4K and other super-high-definition TVs is expected to increase. By focusing on 4K models, Japanese makers are aiming to boost their TV businesses since the country's TV market seems to be getting out of its long slump. The Japanese market is close to hitting bottom due mainly to brisk demand for high-priced large TVs, a Toshiba Corp. <6502> official said. Toshiba plans to fully replace its 58-inch or larger TVs with 4K models by the end of fiscal 2014. Sony Corp. <6758> will increase the number of its 4K TV models to nine from five within this year. At the Las Vegas show, Sony President Kazuo Hirai unveiled a projector capable of producing 147-inch 4K images. Sony plans to launch the projector in the United States by summer this year. Sony wants to continue offering products that can touch the heart of consumers, he said. South Korean rivals Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. revealed bendable flat-panel TVs. Also on display are wristband-type mobile devices and other products with wearable technology, which are touted as next-generation information terminals succeeding smartphones. More than 3,200 companies from around the world are exhibiting their products or technologies at the annual event, and the number of visitors is seen reaching some 150,000, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, the organizer of the exhibition. END