Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Dubai

Samsung is aiming to strengthen its leadership position in the TV segment with the launch of QLED TVs based on Quantum Dot technology.

The Korean giant had launched Super Ultra High Definition (SUHD) TV last year based on Quantum Dot technology but this year has an advanced technique of coating the quantum dots with metal to express deep blacks and rich detail regardless of how bright the scene is, or whether the content is being played in a brightly lit or darkened room.

In simple terms, imagine the number of colours produced when light passes through a crystal. Quantum dot technology works by placing a layer or film of quantum dots in front of a regular LED backlight panel. The layer is made up of tiny particles each of which emits its own colour depending on its size.

“QLED TVs are capable of reproducing 100 per cent colour volume compared to conventional TVs. This means they can express all colours at any level of brightness — with even the subtlest differentiable at the QLED’s peak luminance — between 1,500 and 2,000 nits,” Sangin Ha, head of TV business at Samsung Electronics Gulf, told Gulf News.

A nit is a unit of visible-light intensity, commonly used to specify the brightness. One nit is equivalent to one candela per square metre.

Ha said that higher luminance allows the TV to express a greater contrast and you are able to see a video which is exactly how the creator of the content intended it to be.

According to research firm GfK, Samsung’s TV market share in the UAE for 2016 amounted to 36 per cent of the total market share within the category, recording a year-on-year growth of 10 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

Market research firm DisplaySearch has estimated that global sales of Quantum dot TVs will exceed 18 million units in 2018.

Ha said that the QLED TVs were designed with the consumer in mind and focus on addressing three key consumer points — picture, smart and style. In a bid to avoid the clutter of wires, Samsung has introduced a single, transparent ‘invisible connection’ cable through which all of the peripheral devices can be gathered and connected to the TV.

The 65-inch model of the Q8C series is priced at Dh16,999 while the 75-inch is priced at Dh34,999.

While not all content is optimised to 1,500 nits brightness, Ha said the content that is will show a dramatic difference for viewers.

“Content services and providers will continue to grow, ushering in the era of infinite content — from live TV and cable all available. We are also leading the 4K and HDR revolution, with many original titles already coming from StarzPlay, Netflix and Amazon,” Ha said.

Samsung has already formed an alliance to promote the new technology with Hisense and TCL in a bid to bring the QLED trademark to other TVs and take the fight to OLED (organic light-emitting diode) sets.

By Naushad K. Cherrayil Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.