Panasonic Focusing on Enterprise Market For 4K Displays, It Says at CES

LAS VEGAS -- In stark contrast to glitzy consumer TV marketing extravaganzas of the past at CES, Panasonic used the first part of its allotted 45 minutes of press conference time to trumpet its display prowess for categories other than CE.

Panasonic North America CEO Joe Taylor led off the former plasma TV maker’s press presentation stating that “Panasonic is more than a TV company.” The 2014 Panasonic is about using its “unique abilities to bring amazing technologies to many facets of our lives,” employing technologies the company has learned through creating consumer electronics, Taylor said. Panasonic is “reimagining” the technologies consumers know it for -- including displays, batteries, automotive electronics and audio components -- into business solutions for other markets including automotive industry, airlines, “quick-serve restaurants” and many, many other enterprises,” he said.

Panasonic intends to lead the 4K enterprise space with what Rance Poehler, president of Panasonic Systems Company, called a wide range of 4K offerings. He cited the 31-inch 4K monitor and 20-inch 4K tablets that the company has begun shipping and the new 4K Varicam pro video camera that will roll out at NAB. He referred to a need for “large, clear images” in production environments and said Panasonic will also deliver a “large-venue” 4K projector later this year. Using 4K technology in security cameras can reduce the number of overall cameras required for an installation, thus reducing the overall cost of a project, Poehler said.

One of the stars of the Panasonic presentation was the company’s new ToughPad FZ-M1 Windows-based tablet, which Poehler called the “thinnest and lightest rugged ToughPad” designed for retail, aviation, restaurants, transportation and military environments. Panasonic intends to lead the enterprise market for tablets in 7- to 20-inch sizes, he said. He also touted the new $12 million 15,224-square-foot, LED video board that will be installed at Churchill Downs in time for the Kentucky Derby, making it the largest outdoor 4K display in the world.

In following Poehler’s presentation on opportunities in the enterprise market, Julie Bauer, president of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, said Panasonic is “setting a new standard for picture quality” by delivering “plasma-level picture quality with LED technology.” But Bauer’s presentation was devoid of specifics on how the company planned to back up that claim. It was the company’s only reference to the moribund plasma TV technology Panasonic had so steadfastly promoted for nearly two decades. Bauer announced the company’s new “Life+ Screen” LED-lit TVs that will debut in 2014 in 58- and 65-inch screen sizes. Panasonic also plans an 85-inch 4K LED model for later in the year and is showing a prototype at its CES booth. In Panasonic’s new commitment to LED, it will show four series of 1080p LED TVs, Bauer said, while reiterating Taylor’s comment that Panasonic is “far more than a TV company.”

In 2014, Panasonic will turn its focus to “adventures, home experiences and your beauty needs,” Bauer said. She announced Panasonic’s first 4K wearable camera, a waterproof, dustproof model for the “everyday adventurer” whose activities could include bike riding or spending an afternoon at the playground, she said. She also touted the Lumix GX7 that will “expand the boundaries” of consumers’ creativity through “hybrid photography” by capturing stills and motion images. Also new from Panasonic: speakers with AllPlay, an expandable multiroom audio product based on Qualcomm’s AllPlay Wi-Fi platform. Using a network adaptor, users will be able to integrate an existing audio system into the AllPlay ecosystem, she said.

Bauer concluded her consumer presentation with the launch of the Panasonic beauty line, which Bauer called an emerging market for Panasonic that it intends to lead with an “intense focus” of the type it has devoted to TVs, home entertainment and imaging. Panasonic is featuring a new hair dryer at the beauty salon inside its CES booth, which she said, “adds moisture to your hair as it dries."

In his closing comments, Taylor noted that nine of the top 10 automakers are exhibiting at CES and said the trend will continue as consumers demand more entertainment and connectivity options from their vehicles. Automotive represents the fastest growing segment for Panasonic’s North American business, he said. He referred to Panasonic’s recently announced deal with Tesla to provide the electric vehicle maker with 2 billion lithium-ion battery cells over the next four years. He also cited Panasonic’s fast-growing head-up display business that is now delivering displays that are 40 percent smaller than ones currently in the marketplace leveraging small optic assemblies developed for its camera projector business. Panasonic also expanded an agreement with Abbey Road Studios for custom audio systems for automotive customers, Taylor said.

Panasonic will be making content relationships during the first half of 2014 following its acquisition of audio company Aupeo, which has partnered with DTS to create an audio platform capable of streaming music in DTS HD surround sound, Taylor said. Vehicles with Panasonic-built systems using DTS HD surround sound will start to arrive this summer, Taylor said.