TV makers launch Rs 17-25 lakh UHD range in India

NEW DELHI: A television priced at Rs 27 lakh? Yes. ManufacturersSony, Samsung and LG believe India is ready to be developed as a market for high-end ultra high definition (UHD) sets with demand for bigger screen sizes expected to grow.

Recently these companies have introduced their range of UHD televisions which are priced between Rs 17 lakh and Rs 27 lakh with screen sizes of 84-inch and 85-inch, hoping that they would be able to create a niche segment and get more marginsthese high-end products.

"Now, customer demands for even bigger screen sizes, upwards of 55-inch. For these kinds of large screen sizes, HD is actually not good enough to experience the best picture quality," Sony India General Manager, Marketing Tadato Kimura told PTI.

Therefore, it was inevitable to create a better technology to cater to this kind of demand and to complete the large screen experience (with UHD technology), he added.

The manufacturers are clear that they will be catering to a set of customers with the UHD products, which have been also launched worldwide only recently.

"Ultra HD TVs are a niche segment....In our opinion, the customer of ultra HD TVs is a pioneer who understands the technology, and seeks the unique experience the product delivers," LG India Marketing Head-Home Entertainment Rishi Tandon said.

Expressing similar sentiments, Samsung India Senior VP-Consumer Electronics Atul Jain said: "It is a new technology which is being introduced in the Indian and the global markets. So in many ways, we are creating the market in India at this moment."

The UHD TVs have better pixel resolution quality, four times than normal HD TVs, with richer and more saturated colors in much bigger screen size, although they are priced at a premium.

At present the biggest screen size that Sony and LG sell in normal HD TVs is 65 inch 3D TVs in the price range of Rs 3.60 lakh to Rs 3.75 lakh. Samsung offers up to 75 inch HD TV for Rs 7.50 lakh.

Apartcatering to a niche segment, the companies are also looking at better marginsthese UHD TVs as compared to mass segment products.

"The 4K technology TVs will give us value and better margins while smaller screen will drive volumes for the company," Sony India MD Kenichiro Hibi had said.

For LG, it is yet another step in widening its range of products in the market.

"We are looking to strengthen our product offering by introducing the Ultra HD displays in different screen sizes," Tandon added.