Sony and Samsung push new TV format

Thousands of people descended on the Las Vegas Convention Centre yesterday as the Consumer Electronics Show finally opened its doors officially.

Companies are using the trade show, which runs until Friday, as a platform to unveil their technology plans for the coming year.

Mobile chip maker Qualcomm delivered the show’s opening keynote, with chief executive Paul Jacobs unveiling a new chip, the Snapdragon 800. The firm brought out celebrity guests for the launch, with Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, director Guillermo del Toro and even Sesame Street’s Big Bird taking to the stage.

About a million smartphones are coming on to mobile networks every day, Mr Jacobs said. The new chip will allow recording and playback of ultra high-definition video, and will support mobile video games with a higher resolution.

Sony’s plans

The show also provided the opportunity for the big tech companies to show how they planned to fight tough economic conditions and consumer sentiment. Late on Monday afternoon, Sony chief executive Kazuo Hirai outlined the company’s plans to put it back on track.

Mr Hirai, who took over Sony last year, has been tasked with turning around the troubled firm, which posted a loss of $57 billion in 2011.

He promised 2013 would be a “landmark” year for it, and said the new 4k technology is injecting new life into consumer electronics.

Chief operating officer Phil Molyneux showed off Sony’s 4K range, which includes more consumer-friendly 55-inch and 65-inch TV sets. Sony also unveiled a new prototype Oled 4K TV.

Samsung unveiled a new user interface for its smart TVs, and outlined a vision for upgrading TVs on a regular basis. Consumers will get improved voice recognition for Samsung’s voice-enabled TV line, and a recommendation service to suggest content based on viewing history.

Like its rivals, Samsung was also showed off a 4K, 110-inch set.