Samsung debuted a TV spot for its QLED 8K TVs, “Making History,” along with a multi-platform campaign with CNN Films, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing “when television enabled people around the world to witness one of mankind’s greatest achievements." In 2019, Samsung is “making TV history again by pushing the boundaries of technology with QLED 8K,” said the company. The campaign features moon landing footage licensed from the Apollo 11 movie, and this summer, the TV maker will sponsor the broadcast premiere of CNN’s Apollo 11 documentary, slated for June 23.
Himax has started shipping its first "8K TV-related" driver ICs to one of its “industry-leading panel customers,” and expects a “few more” customers and orders during the second half “when more TV brands are scheduled to launch new 8K TV models,” said CEO Jordan Wu on a Q1 earnings call Thursday. “8K TVs are still expected to hold a small share in the TV market because 8K content and transmission technology have not yet matured." 8K TV nevertheless is a "strategic area for Himax” for its future growth potential, he said. Higher materials costs of the driver ICs Himax supplies to large-screen TV panel makers will contribute to a 3 percent decline in Q2 gross margin from Q1, said Wu. Costs are rising from an “industry-wide materials shortage,” and panel-maker customers “are going through a difficult period” of increasing oversupply and “lackluster demand right now,” said Wu. “We thought it was prudent not to pass on the rising materials cost to our customers during this quarter as we used to for the consideration of long-term relationships.” Though the large-screen display market “is still clouded with concerns of oversupply and waning demand, our current forecast for the second half is showing signs of revenue rebound,” he said.
Sony’s $70,000 98-inch Z9G TV turned heads on social media Tuesday, after the Monday announcement of 2019 TV pricing. Engadget called the $69,999 price tag for the 8K behemoth, due in stores in June, “mind-numbing.” The 85-inch model in the same line will be tagged $12,999 when it ships in the same time frame. Sony put considerable distance between the 8K and 4K series, with its 4K OLED models priced at $2,499 for the 55-inch A8G and $3,499 for the 65-inch model due in May. The A9G series Master series OLED TVs, compatible with IMAX Enhanced and DTS Audio, are $3,499 (55-inch), $4,499 (65-inch) and $7,999 (77-inch), with June shipping. The A9G series will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit 3 later in the year, said the company. The Sony X950G series of 4K HDR TVs, with a mode calibrated for Netflix, includes 55-inch ($1,399), 65-inch ($2,199), 75-inch ($3,499) and 85-inch ($4,999) models. The 85-inch X850G 4K HDR TV, with Android TV and Google Assistant, is priced $3,499. The company’s entry-level X800G 4K series ranges from $649 for a 49-inch model to $1,999 for the 75-inch set.
Sharp is promoting its first-generation 70-inch 8K Ultra HD LCD monitor, the 8M-B70AU, at Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas this week, and it’s previewing an 80-inch version due to launch this summer. For the first time in North America, the company said, it’s showcasing PN-HB and PN-HM series 4K Ultra-HD professional LCD monitors. The monitors, with a built-in SoC controller, allow for digital signage delivery without the need for a dedicated media player, it said. Sharp, continuing its commercial transition to 4K Ultra HD, is also demonstrating 43-inch, 50-, 55-, 60-, 70- and 86-inch displays for hospitality, business and retail applications.
Brian Markwalter, CTA senior vice president-research and standards, declined comment Wednesday on the work CTA is doing to define 8K TV parameters, including when he expects that work to be complete. He referred us to comments CEO Gary Shapiro made at CES. “CTA is home to all the 8K Ultra HD industry players, across the ecosystem,” Shapiro told the opening keynote session Jan. 8. “Our members include the manufacturing, content and entertainment sectors, and CTA is working with most TV makers on a display definition for 8K Ultra HD.” Sony based its decision Tuesday not to join the 8K Association on its preference to work within CTA on an 8K display definition (see 1902120019).
Sony will apply to trademark a new 8K HDR logo and “allow it to run its official process” at the Patent and Trademark Office, spokesperson Cheryl Goodman emailed us Tuesday. The new logo, unveiled at CES, differs slightly from the octagonal 8K HDR mark that PTO rejected on grounds that it was “merely descriptive” of Sony’s goods. The agency also cited trademark case law in ruling that the logo's black and gold graphics didn’t “create an inherently distinctive commercial impression.” PTO declared the application abandoned Feb. 2 after Sony let lapse the six-month deadline for challenging the refusal (see 1902040020). Sony ran into similar problems at PTO trying to trademark the 4K HDR logo it introduced three years ago at CES (see 1601060049). The agency killed that application Feb. 4. The 4K HDR logo is “freely available for use,” said Goodman.
IntoPIX introduced a codec that allows Crestron DM NVX AV-over-IP products to deliver high-quality video and still images over a standard 1 Gbps network, it said Wednesday. The company promises “flawless link quality” from source to display without requiring high bandwidth and said the codec supports resolutions up to 8K.
The Patent and Trademark Office declared “abandoned” Sony’s application to trademark the 8K HDR logo it displayed prominently on the 8K TV products it showcased at CES, an agency status screen shows. A PTO examining attorney refused the application in November 2017 and again in July on grounds that the logo was too generic a description of Sony’s goods, even with its octagonal black and gold graphics (see 1901090034). PTO declared the application dead Saturday after Sony let lapse the Jan. 8 six-month deadline for responding to the refusal. Sony didn’t comment Tuesday.
Sharp Home Electronics-America President Jim Sanduski confirmed Friday that the U.S. arm of Sharp has been speaking to Chris Chinnock, executive director of the nascent 8K Association (see 1901100021), about joining. Sharp hasn’t decided whether to join primarily because of its trademark licensing agreement (TLA) with Hisense for Sharp-branded TVs sold in North and South America, Sanduski emailed. “As the first manufacturer to commercially sell an 8K TV (70") in the world (in the Japan market) in 2017, we support the organization’s mission to accelerate the consumer awareness and adoption of 8K, not only in North America but globally,” said the executive, and Sharp will continue to monitor the organization’s progress. He declined to comment on the company’s plans for 8K TVs in the North American market beyond 2020 when the TLA expires.
Sony let lapse Monday’s six-month deadline for responding to the Patent and Trademark Office’s refusal to trademark the 8K HDR logo unveiled publicly for the first time at CES Monday on two-models of 8K TVs under the Bravia Master Series Z9G designation (see 1901080038), agency records show. PTO examining attorney Darryl Spruill refused the application in November 2017 and again July 6 on grounds that 8K HDR was too generic a description of Sony’s goods. On Sony’s argument that the black and gold octagonal design of the logo made it distinctive enough to qualify as a trademark, Spruill disagreed: “The design portion of the mark is a combination of merely non-distinctive geometric shapes that do not serve as an inherently distinctive source indicator. As stated previously, most common geometric shapes, such as circles, ovals, triangles, diamonds, or stars, when used as a background for word or letter marks are not considered inherently distinctive.” PTO rules give applicants six months to respond to a refusal or risk having the application declared abandoned. Sony didn’t comment Wednesday.