phil molyneux

Sony said today it will launch several new 4K Ultra HD televisions. It will also start filling out the ecosystem to support the switch to a new line of brighter and crisper displays.

Phil Molyneux, head of Sony Electronics, announced at Sony’s press event at the Consumer Electronics Show that Sony will launch new 55-inch and 65-inch 4K TVs in addition to the 84-inch TV it has already launched. The move is similar to announcements by a number of other TV makers at the show today.

“It’s really like looking through a window,” Molyneux said.

AI Weekly

The must-read newsletter for AI and Big Data industry written by Khari Johnson, Kyle Wiggers, and Seth Colaner.

Included with VentureBeat Insider and VentureBeat VIP memberships.

He said Sony would launch the first 4K video distribution service to provide more content for 4K TVs. Movies such as the Amazing Spider-Man are available in 4K Ultra HD, but a lot more content has to materialize before consumers will join the bandwagon. Sony has 4K digital cinema projectors in 14,000 theaters and has now launched a 4K video camera for consumers. Sony Pictures plans to release a number of Blu-ray 4K movie discs in the spring.

“4K is not the future,” said Kaz Hirai, chief executive of Sony. “It’s now.”

Sony also announced a 4K 56-inch OLED display. But, unfortunately for Hirai, the TV gave a blue screen when it was unveiled.

“Excellent,” Hirai said, when the TV failed. Everybody laughed, except the Sony employees, who wheeled the TV off the stage.

VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn More