Hisense Focuses on Larger Screen Sizes in Continued Effort to Grow in US Market

October 7, 2016 by Rebecca Day|Ultra HD

Hisense went high on screen size, low on price Thursday, demoing new H8, H9 and H10 series TVs in a condo suite on a media tour in New York. The company highlighted 65-inch and-above TVs and a 100-inch laser-based projection TV. Expected retail prices for new models in the leader H8 4K Ultra TV line are $999 for the 65H8C and $5,999 for an 86-inch version in the series, both slated for early 2017 shipping. The 70- ($2,499) and 75-inch ($2,999) versions are due in December, said Hisense Market Manager Richard Zena. The new H8 sizes have been upgraded to include 4K HDR10 streaming and playback, including Netflix and YouTube HDR, said Zena, while the 50- and 55-inch models remain in the line. Hisense unveiled the first 65-inch TV ($1,699) in the H9 ULED line and the 70-inch H10 ULED smart TV ($3,499.99), both due in the market next year. Zena pitched the H9900 series 100-inch 4K laser TV, due next summer, as “portable” and for self-installations. The screen weighs 17.5 pounds, said a spec sheet that listed additional features as HDR10, a 4K upscaler and Ultra Smooth Motion to reduce motion blur in fast-motion scenes. The $12,999 two-piece laser projection TV includes a 5.1 speaker system. Hisense is sticking to its goal to be the third-largest TV brand in the U.S. by 2019, and it holds the No. 1 spot in China and Australia, executives said. U.S. retail distribution for the new models is “to be determined,” said Zena. The biggest challenge in the U.S. market remains brand awareness, Mike Wong, senior director-product management, told us. Hisense sponsored a UEFA Euro Cup 2016 event in New York in August (see 1606160048). On how the company is positioning Hisense TVs vs. the Sharp brand it’s licensing under a multiyear agreement, Wong would only say the New York media tour was focused on the Hisense brand. Zena called Hisense ULED quantum dot TVs a high-quality, lower cost alternative to OLED that’s backed by 17 patents and a four-year warranty.