Panasonic and Amazon Join Forces to Revolutionise Smart TVs
Panasonic Holdings and Amazon have announced a groundbreaking partnership that aims to enhance the TV viewing experience for consumers.
The Japanese electronics giant is teaming up with the e-commerce giant to develop smart televisions that can recommend content based on users' viewing history. This collaboration comes as Panasonic seeks to bolster its TV software development and stay ahead in the competitive consumer electronics market.
At the CES, the world's largest consumer technology trade show held in Las Vegas, Panasonic unveiled its flagship model - an organic light-emitting diode model integrated with Amazon's Fire TV streaming technology. This cutting-edge television will hit the markets in Japan and Europe this spring, offering users a seamless and personalised content discovery experience.
Panasonic Entertainment & Communication, a subsidiary of Panasonic focused on consumer electronics, is working closely with Amazon to develop the internal systems required for this innovative feature. The software will analyse users' viewing history from various sources, including streaming services, broadcast TV, and recorded shows. By creating individual accounts for each family member, the TV will be able to provide tailored content recommendations based on their preferences and search keywords.
Initially, users will need to select their respective accounts manually. However, Panasonic and Amazon are exploring advanced technologies such as voice and fingerprint authentication for future versions. These advancements will enable the TV to automatically detect who is watching, further enhancing the personalised experience.
But the collaboration doesn't stop there. Panasonic has ambitious plans to integrate its smart TVs with in-vehicle displays, allowing users to seamlessly continue watching their favourite content from home to car. Additionally, the TVs will be able to connect with smartphones, analysing the videos watched in apps to provide even more accurate content suggestions.
The global TV market has faced challenges in recent times, with a 5% decline in flat-screen TV shipments in 2022, according to research company Omdia. This drop can be attributed to reduced demand during the pandemic and a struggling global economy. Currently, South Korean and Chinese manufacturers like Samsung Electronics and Hisense dominate the market, holding the top five spots and accounting for over 60% of the market share. In contrast, Panasonic's share stands at just 1%.
Panasonic and Amazon partner to develop smart TVs that recommend content based on viewing history
Individual accounts for family members enable personalised content recommendations
Future versions may feature voice and fingerprint authentication for automatic user detection
Source: NIKKEI ASIA