Sony has unveiled the 4K 84-inch LED TV in Nairobi in a ceremony replicated in three other African cities in South Africa and Morocco.
The new 4K TV has various features, including four times the resolution of full high definition standards, Simulview that allows two player games to be played without having to split the screen and X-Reality PRO that upscales blu-ray 3D and full HD 3D images to 4K.
The company says it is targeting high-end consumers, with the device priced at KSh3.5 million (US$40,230).
Sony says the television will revolutionise the future of home entertainment.
“I was completely blown away when I saw it the first time, I wanted to touch. It was an amazing sensation,” said Sony’s sales director for Middle East and Africa Shinya Mukaida, speaking during the launch in Nairobi.
Mukaida says the current high prices on 4K products can only be driven down by economies of scale, hinting Sony could in future release smaller sizes to target the mass market.
The launch comes days after LG launched a similar 84-inch television set late last month in Kenya but at a much lower cost of KSh1.8 million shillings (US$20,690), driving up competition for full HD television sets.
The release by Sony will however edge up competition, with four companies already having released similar sets into the market, including Samsung and Sharp which have launched 75-inch and 80-inch models respectively.
Sony will however be betting on its proprietary super resolution high picture quality engine for 4K LED televisions to drive up sales and appease customers more than its competitors.
The television set also comes with a 10-unit live speaker system to help achieve the three dimensional sound.
In Kenya the set will be provided by Anisuma Limited, whose director Haresh Gokash has expressed optimism sales will do well. Sony would, however, not declare their targets.
