Connectivity Big Theme in LG’s Cross-Category CES Launches

LAS VEGAS -- LG Electronics opened press day Monday at CES by unveiling a wide swath of new products, including the much-hyped 4mm-thick 55-inch OLED, an 84-inch LCD TV, four Google TV models, an LG Spectrum LTE smartphone and an advanced refrigerator that can communicate with a connected mobile phone at a grocery store. Another refrigerator feature in LG’s French Door series that drew audience approval was a “Blast Killer” section that can chill a warm can of beer to a comfortable drinking temperature in 5 minutes using circulating air.

Despite a “challenging” 2011, LG Electronics USA revenue grew 8 percent and exceeded $12 billion in North America, while the company had a “record-breaking” Q4 and “impressive” market share gains, said Wayne Park, the subsidiary’s CEO. In its environmental initiatives, Park said, LG boosted its sales of Energy Star-rated TVs by 30 percent and, in partnership with Keep America Beautiful, “responsibly recycled” more than 10 million pounds of electronics last year. Park reaffirmed LG’s commitment to cut LG’s U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2020.

In 3D TVs in 2012, LG will deliver larger display sizes, said Scott Ahn, chief technology officer. Screen sizes for 2012 will include 55, 62, 72 and 84 inches, Ahn said. The 84-inch TV uses an Ultra Definition panel with resolution of 3840 x 2160, or eight million pixels, that’s four times that of a 42-inch TV, he said. Nano Full LED technology that embeds LED units into film has enabled a thin display measuring 28mm deep. Bezel is 1mm thick, he said.

LG has improved the Magic Remote in its Smart TVs with gesture control and voice recognition “as a natural solution for text input,” Ahn said. The gesture interface, which Tim Alessi, director of new product development, told us would be sold as a separate interface, allows users to issue commands with hands and “entire body gestures.” Also new for Cinema 3D TVs is an upgrade to LG’s Smart Share feature, now called Smart Share Plus. Additions include a Wi-Fi screen that mirrors the display on LG mobile devices. In addition, the TVs will have Wi-Di, making LGs the first to feature the Intel feature.

LG this year will ship two series of Google TVs, which will be sold at “a slight premium” to the company’s Smart TVs because of a higher cost to the remote control, Alessi told us. The Google TV models and LG’s higher-end TVs will run on LG’s L9 ARM-based multi-core chipset, Alessi said. Google TV models are due in stores in early March, but prices for the 47- and 55-inch TVs haven’t been set, he said. The main difference between the LG Smart TVs and Google TVs will be the app offerings from the LG store and Android app store, he said. Both will use motion remote technology, but on the Google remote one side will have a QWERTY keyboard and the other side is a motion remote with a click wheel, Alessi said. Users will have a choice whether they want to use LG’s dashboard or the Google interface, he said.

Not even an approximate price was given for the 55-inch OLED TV, which Alessi said is a “real product, not a concept product” that’s due in the U.S. in Q3. At about 40 feet back and off axis from the display, we were impressed by the black level, color gamut and clarity of the display. Alessi said the OLED TV may ship in Korea before it hits U.S. shores. Speakers for the super slim TV will be along the bottom of the panel, and the electronics are in the base with a pole stand, Alessi told us. When we asked about LG’s possible participation in WiSA, the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association, whose upcoming standard is designed for wireless transfer of signals from a TV to an outboard loudspeaker, Alessi said, “we're studying it but have no specific plans.” As for LG’s passive 3D TV line, Alessi said LG’s share of the 3D market hit 30 percent in November. The company has passed Sony in 3D TV market share, he said, and has “Samsung in its sights."

LG also launched the LG Spectrum, an LTE phone with a 4.5-inch IPS display, available only through Verizon. Tim O'Brien, vice president-marketing for mobile devices, called the Spectrum the first “premium LTE device.” The phone uses a 1.5-GHz dual-core processor and will ship with Android’s Gingerbread processor that’s upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich. The phone records video at 1080p and has a 1280 x 720 display measuring 329 pixels per inch, he said. Spectrum will be available through Verizon stores beginning Jan. 19 at $199 with a 2-year contract.

LG, one of the early proponents of the Internet refrigerator, introduced new features under its SmartThinQ connected series. Smart Manager, which Ellis Mass, director of brand marketing for home appliances, called a “complete food management system,” enables consumers to use the refrigerator’s LCD panel or smartphones to check the food items stored inside. A “freshness tracker” can check for expiration dates. Mass described a shopper calling the refrigerator from the grocery store to check expiration dates of yogurt in the fridge. Mass said connectivity is one of the most compelling features of LG appliances this year. A user can monitor washing cycles from a smart washing machine on a smart TV or smartphone, he said.