The Smart TV market is becoming a crowded place. Now Philips has decided to up the ante and get serious, launching an updated user interface and improving their service infrastructure.
The company will launch a complete range of Smart TVs starting from 19 inch, aimed at the more affordable end of the market. In addition to the new product range, Philips have built a new cloud-based Home Screen solution, which displays the usual information including current weather and time at the location of the unit, as well as picture-in-picture live feeds of viewable channels. Video on Demand (or VOD for the three-letter acronym junkies) and catch-up TV features are also included. Users can also arrange their downloadable apps as they wish at the bottom of the screen.
The 8000 series also comes with WiFi allowing users to stream content directly to third-party devices such as iPads and Android tablets. With around 500 apps available, there are plenty of choices available for the average user. No news yet of an Australian launch, but they will have to work hard to get some floor space at the local big box stores.