TVS respond to voice commands, gestures
Manufacturers work to improve viewers’ experience in anticipation of Apple entry
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. — Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc. and Toshiba Corp., anticipating a challenge from Apple Inc., are answering with TVs that respond to voice commands and let viewers move easily between Netflix and ESPN.
New models from LG and Panasonic Corp. sport an onscreen display inspired by smartphones and tablets. The old guides are replaced by a home screen with floating pictures of shows from cable or the web, ranked by past viewing. Four Samsung models will respond to voice commands or hand gestures, like Apple’s Siri or Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox Kinect game console.
“One of the key things is really to bring the ‘wow’ experience back to the TV,” said Joe Stinziano, a senior vice-president for Samsung, based in Suwon, South Korea. “There’s a lot of technology in the background that makes the experience much more enjoyable.”
The focus on user experience, in evidence at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, Nev., is driven in part by the threat of a TV product from Apple, which co-founder Steve Jobs was developing before his death. Apple’s iPhone redefined the smartphone and crushed rival brands. Its iPad created the tablet market, denting laptop sales. Incumbent TV makers don’t want to be caught unprepared.
“The mythical Apple TV that’s been widely talked about but never seems to appear is still on the back of everybody’s minds,” said Tim Alessi, director of new product development for LG Electronics. “They’re probably the undisputed experts in simple user interfaces.”
At stake is a global television market projected to reach $200 billion by 2018, according to a MarketResearch. com. TV makers are working to improve the look and feel of a viewer’s experience as Apple, Intel Corp., Microsoft and others eye entry. Manufacturers also face pressure from low-cost Chinese producers that have driven down prices and squeezed profits.
New Samsung TVs offer technology that, with two clicks of the remote, lets users stream content from the big screen to its Galaxy tablets and smartphones. Viewers can watch separate shows on the two screens.
LG is adding a microphone to its remote control and software on the television called Voice Mate that searches for show names, directors and actors among cable and satellite programming, on-demand services and external devices such as Blu-ray players.
Better interaction with viewers, including offering show recommendations, is a priority for manufacturers, according to Stephen White, president of music and video content company Gracenote Inc., which delivers such ser- vices to TV makers.
For several years, smart TVs have been able to connect to the Internet-based services as Spotify Ltd. music and Netflix Inc. movie streaming. Yet only 18 per cent of consumers access online content daily from their sets, according to 2012 global survey by researcher NPD DisplaySearch.
“The interfaces are still fairly challenging,” said Kumu Puri, an Accenture Plc partner and senior executive.
Getting viewers online also offers electronics makers the potential for new revenue. A home page controlled by the manufacturer’s software offers opportunities for advertising revenue. A viewer who watches a car show, for instance, might see a Lexus ad, while U.S. fans of Downton Abbey might see travel promotions to Europe.