Japanese TV makers bet on super-HD sets as World Cup nears
With the World Cup approaching, Japan's embattled television makers are hoping the key to their rescue can be found on the second floor of Bic Camera's downtown Tokyo outlet.
With the World Cup approaching, Japan's embattled television makers are hoping the key to their rescue can be found on the second floor of Bic Camera's downtown Tokyo outlet.
Sales of big-screen televisions with super-high-definition 4K technology are picking up at the nationwide electronics retailer, and their fatter profit margins are offering a lifeline to one-time industry giants Sony and Panasonic.
Retailers report that demand for the cutting-edge technology - with four times the resolution of standard high-definition sets - has surged as sports fans shell out big bucks with the football World Cup kicking off in Brazil on Thursday.
"Many customers are coming to buy a new television set because of the World Cup," said Daisuke Kogure, visual products floor manager at Bic Camera's Yurakucho outlet. "Even though commercial broadcasting is still to come, customers are still interested in seeing photo images and movies on 4K television screens."
Last week, a consortium of major Japanese broadcasters, television manufacturers and communications firms began test broadcasts of satellite television programmes in 4K across the country of 128 million, with some World Cup games set to be shown.
The move comes with Tokyo's backing as it looks to boost the competitiveness of the world's No3 economy - neighbouring South Korea is already testing 4K technology for cable programming.
Sony president Kazuo Hirai recently pointed to the ultra-high-definition technology as a possible saviour for the company's money-losing television unit, which has bled about 790 billion yen (HK$59.8 billion) over the past decade.
