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If you thought that the IFA in Berlin was purely about smart phones and tablets, you were wrong. Because Philips have just announced a whole range of 4K UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) LED Televisions aimed at making the technology more accessible to the man on the street. What’s so special about these 4K UHD LED TV’s? Well, besides the eye-catching display, the televisions other main claim to fame is that they are powered by Android.
Yes, that’s correct, Philips’ latest range of 4K televisions are Google certified. This means that they can access the pre-installed Google Play Store, along with the usual suite of Google Apps including Google Search and YouTube. From the video it would seem that you can connect a game controller to the TV for gaming purposes, making it handy for casual gaming. Philips’ new range of Android powered 4K televisions will be offered in a variety of sizes and feature-sets to be more appealing to a wider audience.
The flagship television is the Philips 9100 that offers a 4-way Ambilight system, which when combined with the new ‘Arc Stand’ is able to give the impression that the Philips 9100 is floating, at least according to Phillips. As you can see from the images though, the 9100 is a good-looking piece of kit. Another feature is that it offers an up-scaling solution (Ultra Resolution) to improve the resolution of non-UHD content.There should also be no problems with ghosting on the display when gaming or watching other fast-moving content , thanks to the 1,000Hz Perfect Motion Rate Ultra technology that is included. The 9100 will be available in 55- and 65-inch sizes. The TV can be controlled with gestures via the built-in camera. A Smart remote control is included that has the traditional TV controls on the top, with a split keyboard on the rear. The remote also allows for voice commands.
The Philips 8900 only features a 3-way Ambilight solution, but to make up for that it features a curved display. This is the first time that Philips have ever offered a curved screen, and its only offered in a 55-inch size.
Finally, we have the budget-minded member of the 4K family, the Philips 7900. Despite being the cheapest of the bunch, it still offers 4K resolution and the Ambilight lighting system, with Android beating at its heart. A twin tuner is included that allows the user to watch one program whilst recording another on a different channel.
Back to the most exciting feature, the fact that the Android Operating System is providing the Smart TV capability for the range of 4K televisions. It’s not known which version of Android the televisions are running as yet. The entire range of Android-powered 4K televisions will go on sale in the UK, Russia and the rest of Europe sometime in the 3rd Quarter of this year, so not too to wait. Sadly, there’s no word on pricing as yet.
If you are in the market for a new television, and are looking at splurging on a 4K capable television, would Philips’ new range of televisions be of interest? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or at our Google Plus page.
