This week in Barcelona Narta members were told that Hitachi has scored an exclusive deal to distribute and sell Hitachi TV’s that are designed in Japan but made in Europe via Narta members with JB Hi Fi, Betta Electrical and Bing Lee among the stores that will start selling the new Hitachi range in the second half of 2015.
Distributed by Tempo the new Hitachi TV range includes new curved 4K Ultra High Definition UHD TV’s as well as an extensive range of 50″ 55″ and 65″ models. Also in the range is a new generation of wireless soundbars and speakers.
Heading the Philips and Hitachi business at Tempo is Michael Richardson the former Vice President of sales at Samsung Australia.
Richardson has confirmed the Narta deal.
Also set to be ranged at several retailers in Australia is a new top end Philips range of TV’s included in the range are Android TV models.
Philips who products are designed in Europe but manufactured in Asia under license to TP Vision.
In April 2011, TPV Technology and Philips agreed to form a Netherlands-based television manufacturing joint venture comprising all of Philips’ television operations, and owned 70% by TPV Technology and 30% by Philips.
Earlier this month TV Vision said that their plan is to release more Android-powered TVs in 2015.
According to Australian retailers who have been shown the new range 80% of their TV line up will be Android TVs.
Some observers claim this is a big gamble on an OS, but if it does pay off, Philips will no doubt have a huge lead over the competition in terms of Android TV sales.
The company plans to offer a range of Android TVs and won’t just bring the feature to its high-end line up.
There will be affordable TVs that will run on Android and there will also be high-end models that run Google’s operating system insiders have said.
Globally the company will be releasing 38 new TVs with Android the first half of 2015 with selected models set to go on sale in Australia in the second half. Currently Harvey Norman sell a budget Philips TV model.
Yesterday we exclusively revealed that Sharp has told retail partners that they will not be offering any new TV models to Australian retailers.
An email sent to retailers by Stephanie Dealey from Sharp reveals that the decision is effective “immediately”.
She said that all warranties, end user support will be met by Sharp Australia.
Retailers are set to start dismantling Sharp Walls in stores replacing them with Hitachi and Philips TV walls.
Confirming the move to ChannelNews Joe Constantino Sales and Marketing Manager at Sharp Australia he said “We are out of LED TV’s. We had intended on offering our new 2015 range but after evaluation of the Australian market we have chosen to quit the market and we are now running out the current stock we have in the channel”.
Constantino said that Sharp Australia was not moving to a distribution model and that the Company is set to launch an expanded appliance range in Australia. He said that the range will include new refrigerators, microwaves and steam ovens.
He said Australians are moving to healthier eating and in Japan the bulk of microwaves come with steam an area where Sharp is dominating.
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