Consumer spending worldwide on televisions and TV peripheral devices will buck the overall trend that will see a contraction in CE expenditures by $5.3 billion in 2024, according to newly released data from Stocklytics.com.

While overall spending on consumer electronics will fall 0.5% this year, consumers are expected to spend $4.6 billion more year-over-year in 2024 on TVs, radios and multimedia devices, such as digital cameras, headphones and speakers, reaching a total of $195.1 billion, the forecast said.

The biggest loser worldwide will be smartphones and landlines with an expected decline of $11.6 billion from $498 billion in 2023 to $486.7 billion this year, Stocklytics.com said citing a projection from Statista.

The second biggest loser will be desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, keyboards and monitors, which are expected to see a sales decline of $500 million from 2023 levels, to $314 billion, it said citing Statista.

Stocklytics.com also looked at where people will buy electronics. Worldwide nearly 78.3% of all consumer electronics sales will come from a brick-and-mortar store, the same as in 2023. Online sales will account for the remainder, it said.

By market, China will see the biggest revenue decline, a drop of 5% to $218.6 billion this year. There also will be a downturn in the United States. Revenue will fall 0.5% to $160 billion. Japan will see a decline of 1.2%, or $44.1 billion, and Brazil will experience a 0.6% drop, or $35.5 billion, according to the Stocklytics.com forecast.

India is the only market where spending on consumer electronics is expected to grow, with a 5% jump from $69.5 billion in 2023 to $73.1 billion this year, it said citing Statista.

More information is available at Stocklytics.com.  

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—Strong first half sales and rising average sales prices will push U.S. consumer technology revenue in 2021 up by 7% over 2020 even though unit sales will see a 1% decline, according to The NPD Group. 

NPD’s latest "Future of Tech" report estimates sales for 2021 will reach over $113 billion, a 4% increase from NPD's January estimates. In 2022 and 2023 NPD expects revenue to be down year over year 7% and 4% respectively, and unit sales will see a 6% and 5% decline.

“The higher than expected ASPs [average sales prices] we are seeing in the market today can be attributed to increased shipping costs, component shortages, consumer readiness to trade-up to a higher cost product to meet their needs, and lack of promotional activity,” explained Stephen Baker, vice president and industry advisor for NPD. “All of these factors have driven our total revenue projections up, but higher ASPs inevitably lead to lower demand, resulting in unit sales declines in categories such as TVs, networking devices, and printers in the back half of the year. Following the historically high sales in 2020 and 2021, we are anticipating near-term declines with a slow climb back to normalcy by the end of 2023.”

The current quarter, Q3 2021, is forecasted to be the most challenging revenue quarter for the consumer electronics (CE) business since the pandemic began due to difficult comps to Q3 2020. But NPD’s forecast predicts a temporary return to revenue growth in Q4 2021, up 2% year over year, despite a 5% decline in unit sales, again driven by pricing and product availability. This is noteworthy revenue growth given the strong CE sales recorded in Q4 2020.

“Revenue growth in Q4 will be driven by higher prices in the industry’s most popular holiday categories like big screen TVs, PCs, gaming, and audio,” said Ben Arnold, executive director and technology industry analyst for NPD. “As consumers trade-up to better, more feature laden technology products, they will also have to contend with fewer and shallower promotions,”  

NPD's "Future of Tech" report is based on forecasted sales of technology products captured in The NPD Group Retail Tracking Service point-of-sale data. This does not include mobile phones.

WASHINGTON—We are on the cusp of a new age of consumer technology, said Steve Koenig, vice president of market research at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) during his “2019 Tech Trends” keynote at the 2018 Government Video Expo in late November. At some point over the course of the last decade, which he describes as the “connected age,” we began to take the internet for granted, expecting our consumer devices to be online. “We’re streaming audio, video—most of our waking hours are spent online either passively or actively.” 

Not only have we been using these devices to stay connected, they have been using us, collecting data on what we watch, where we go and what we like to buy.

AI

So what’s on the horizon? “Get ready for the data age of consumer tech,” Koenig said. “More and more business decisions, more and more consumer choices are guided and informed by data. Just think about your Netflix queue. Those recommendations about what you might like, that isn’t just magic. That’s all built off of data. So we look across the whole tech ecosystem, I think data is the common denominator. Whether it’s Netflix or a self-driving vehicle, data is behind much of what we do, and that’s only going to grow and multiply exponentially as we get into the next decade.”

This era will be driven by advances in AI and machine learning, which Koenig anticipates will be a strong theme at the upcoming International Consumer Electronics Show, which the CTA produces every January in Las Vegas. Drawing an anticipated 180,000 trade professionals from 150 countries this year, according to Koenig, CES is probably the world’s largest consumer technology event.

About AI, Koenig continued, “Companies have massive amounts of customer data ... that they want to make sense of that would take us humans years and years” to sort. And AI will potentially be able to do it in real time, translating this data into instant, actionable information.

Stressing the importance of AI as a technology enabling the future, Koenig mentioned a study released by the McKinsey Global Institute in September. “Just to kind of underscore the significance of AI, they likened the global economic impact of AI in terms of GDP growth globally to the invention of the steam engine or the steam locomotive 150 years ago... They go on to say that through 2030, AI will add 1.2 percent to global GDP growth. It’s such a small percentage, but what’s behind that is quite literally trillions of U.S. dollars. Trillions. That’s how significant AI is. You don’t have to look too deep to uncover other statistics about the vast majority of commercial operations that are either using AI now or making plans to.”

5G

With the speed of technological progress, it’s not surprising that Koenig noted another change we’ll be navigating over the next few years, and another enabling technology. “We’re bridging into the data age, and 5G, which is the next generation of wireless connectivity, is essentially going to become the central nervous system of the data age.”

The hallmarks of 5G—faster speed, greater capacity and lower latency—are all critical elements to enable emerging technologies such as self-driving vehicles, smart cities, 8K video and others.

In its publication “5 Technology Trends to Watch in 2019,” the CTA noted that the U.S. “is beginning a transformation that will create lucrative business opportunities for many. 5G is coming and its rich bandwidth will reduce latency, allow a fast data stream and incentivize new services that cross the borders of all tech sectors. Combined with low-cost sensors, deep data analytics and AI, 5G will be the backbone for much of the smart city infrastructure that will help drive resilience for unforeseen disasters ... 5G will also fuel the connected home, transform digital healthcare and create immersive experiences for global sports fans. Of course, AI will be at the core of each of these areas, supporting them with data to make informed actions.”

Describing the many potential opportunities it may unlock, Koenig explained that 5G, deployed as fixed wireless broadband, has the capacity to bridge the digital divide in the United States and other large countries with geographically dispersed citizens. Noting that it is too expensive to lay fiber to support access to broadband internet for all the residents of the Appalachian Mountains, for example, “fixed wireless 5G brings those super-fast speeds of broadband to places that heretofore have not been able to get a robust internet connection.”

[Read: 5G—The Future Is Now]

He added that 4G and 5G are going to coexist for a time while networks are built out to support 5G deployments and 5G smartphones are put in the hands of consumers. Koenig predicts that by 2022 or 2023, the majority of handsets shipping in the U.S. will be pure 5G.

8K

Koenig positions the 2019 International CES as “the coming-out party for 8K TV,” based on monthly shipment data CES tracks in the U.S. market: “In the October year-to-date data for TV shipments, we have breached the 1 million mark [for the first time] in terms of unit volume shipped for TV sets 70 inches and above,” the target screen size for 8K resolution.

He admits that there’s little native 8K content now and no 8K transmission in the United States, but we were in a similar position when HDTVs first began to appear around the turn of the century.

As for how many 8K televisions are going to sell in the coming year, Koenig said, “Right now my current thinking is 100,000 or less. It’s going to be pretty small simply because it’s a brand new technology.”

He added, “It starts small but then we hit an inflection point. Now, when that big inflection point comes, I don’t think 8K is going to be a big majority seller simply because it’s domain is very, very large screens.”

The trend in the United States is toward increasingly large screens, so 8K sets may increase in prominence over time. “Ten years ago, under 40 inches was the lion’s share of TV shipments, and that has slowly modulated to where now shipments of TVs above 40 inches are the lion’s share. The size category that’s just crushing it right now is 65 inch. Three years ago it was 55 inch. You can start to see a trend here.”

Smart Speakers and Digital Assistants

This holiday season, tech spending is expected to reach a record $96.1 billion in the U.S. alone, according to CTA research, a year-over-year increase of 3.4 percent. Whether it’s emerging tech like smart speakers and smart home devices, or the popular categories like TVs and laptops, tech is an integral part of our lives.

CTA projects that smart speakers such as Amazon’s Echo and Google Home will sell 22 million units this holiday season, up 44 percent over 2017.

Discussing consumer purchasing trends, Koenig said, “About every five or six years there tends to be a must-have consumer tech product. It has the signature of hyper-growth and hyper-volume of sales, so almost overnight, millions of households adopt it. Today that’s the smart speaker.” Five or six years ago, the must-have consumer tech item was the tablet; before that it was the smartphone, and back in 2002 it was the DVD player.

Smart speakers provide an entrée into the home for AI via the speakers’ digital assistant. Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant are some very capable helpers, and they are changing the way consumers interact with and even purchase new technology.

“CES 2018 taught us three things related to digital assistants,” Koenig said. “The first is that these digital assistants are going into more vessels—this is everything from phones to PCs to cars.”

The second point: “Support for these assistants has now become table stakes, just like connectivity was mandatory several years ago.” If you brought forward a non-connected device in 2010, people didn’t have much interest in it; it’s the same now with devices that don’t interconnect with a digital assistant ecosystem.

This has become critically important in smart home products, where digital assistants have become the killer app, according to Koenig, which leads to the third point: these digital assistants are quickly establishing voice as the go-to user interface.

“Voice is really coming into the user experience,” he said. “I predict that within five years, things that we normally do on a website or through an app, that all gets pushed to the digital assistant that is omnipresent in our experience. They’re in our car, they’re on our phone, they’re on our laptop, they’re in the kitchen on the smart speaker, they’re integrated into the fridge—they’re everywhere. Therefore, they’re always standing by to help. So voice and digital assistants become the new search.”

Koenig isn’t simply speculating on this. The CTA conducted research over the summer that revealed several things about how American adults are using these digital assistants. Koenig noted, “The list is very long of the things that consumers are doing with these digital assistants—it’s not just a few things like checking the weather or setting an alarm. Point two: the things that they are doing are what we would normally fire up an app for or go to a website.” At least part of the time, consumers are starting to pivot to a digital assistant to make purchases or schedule their work and free time.

He added, “I’m belaboring the point, but what I’m trying to say is that we are on the cusp of a major shift in consumer behavior and it’s made possible by these digital assistants, and it will transform our interactions.”

Koenig will be at CES next month to track the accuracy of these forecasts. The 2019 International CES takes place Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas.

Industry great Joseph “Joe” Clayton, who helped spearhead myriad CE and telecommunications technologies from satellite radio to Sling TV over his 42-year career, died Saturday at the age of 69 following a brief illness.

Clayton’s illustrious curriculum vitae included runs as president/CEO of Dish Network, from 2011-2015; chairman of Sirius Satellite Radio, from 2004-2008, and before that CEO, from 2001-2004; and president and president/CEO, respectively, of telecommunications providers Global Crossing and Frontier Corp.

Before that he helped launch DirecTV at Thomson Consumer Electronics in concert with Hughes Electronics, and also led RCA’s marketing and sales efforts for TVs and VCRs.

At Sirius (now SiriusXM Radio), he helped introduce new home and car hardware, and put the company on the map by signing multiple radio contracts with sports leagues and entertainment figures including Howard Stern.

“We were able to launch the Hopper, DishNet and Sling TV; navigate two spectrum auctions; and deliver our customers throughout,” Clayton said upon his retirement from Dish.

In his spare time, Clayton served on EchoStar’s board of directors; was chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association (now CTA) from 1995-1996; and was a trustee for his alma mater, Kentucky’s Bellarmine University.

He was inducted into the CT Hall of Fame in 2008, received CTA’s Digital Patriot Award in 2013, and was bestowed a LIfetime Achievement Award by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

The tributes came in fast and furious. “Joe was a man of passion and vision whose influence on our industry is remarkable in its breadth and depth,” said Dish co-founder and chairman Charlie Ergen. “As a master marketer, his brands, including RCA, DirecTV, Sirius Satellite Radio and Dish, were welcomed into tens of millions of American homes. As importantly, he mentored and influenced generations of leaders across our industry, including me. I am grateful for Joe’s leadership, his friendship and his generosity.”

Said CTA president/CEO Gary Shapiro, “The consumer technology sector has lost a legend. Joe was a strong and ethical leader — a lion of the industry, who was larger than life. He saw the future clearly and helped lead the industry in areas including direct broadcast satellite, HDTV and satellite radio. Joe focused on the big picture, increasing growth by inspiring people … Our industry and all those who knew Joe Clayton are better for his influence, leadership and guidance.”

n a 2016 column, longtime TWICE editor Steve Smith described Clayton as a mentor, an enthusiastic promoter of the RCA brand and its color TV line, and as someone who “knew and respected the role the press had in covering the business, when news was good, bad or indifferent.”

“He not only shared info on his products and technology,” Smith continued, “but was willing to provide significant insights into the arcane world of CE retailing, and without realizing it, helped me get up to speed rather quickly in this fast-paced business. Over the years he was generous with his time and his insights, even when the story was not about RCA — or later on — Sirius or Dish.”

Susan M. Donovan, Ph.D., president of Clayton’s beloved Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky., noted his role as a trustee and benefactor. “Joe Clayton was a part of everything at Bellarmine. The Bellarmine campus wouldn’t be what it is today without his incredible support,” she wrote in a university post. “Not just through our physical space, and not just through his leadership as a trustee and distinguished graduate. It lives in the legacy of so many students and alumni who have now moved on to become educators, librarians, business people and leaders in their communities. It is a legacy that will continue forever.”

A native Kentuckian and self-described “poor young kid from the hills of Bardstown,” Clayton was an avid traveler, hunter and University of Kentucky basketball fan.

He is survived by his wife, Janet, daughters Megan Stovall (Matthew), Kelly Herr (Brock), Kathleen Reitz (Andy), and Molly; son John Paul; grandchildren Samuel, Abigail, William and Lucas Paul; brother Mike Clayton (Leigh Ann); and sister Ellen Willett (Jerry).

Visitation will be Thursday, Nov. 8, from 3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. in Knights Hall at Bellarmine. His funeral will be held Friday, Nov. 9 at 11:00 a.m. at Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, with burial immediately to follow at St. Joseph.

Representatives from the former DOW Stereo shared this video marking the 20th anniversary of the retailer’s first HDTV sale — a 56-inch Panasonic model — complete with plenty of rich nostalgia. How many faces do you recognize? 

While AI, voice recognition and fast connectivity are contributing to the upswing in electronics consumers are buying, television remains one of three screen-based technologies driving CE revenue, according to a newly released update to a Consumer Technology Association (CTA) sales and forecast report.

The other two screen-based CE revenue drivers are smartphones and laptop/notebook PCs, says the revision to CTA’s “U.S. Consumer Technology Sales and Forecasts” report. CTA now pegs consumer technology revenue for 2018 at $377 billion, a 6% increase over the previous year.

[Read: Next Gen TVs Record Greatest Gain In U.S. Household Ownership, Says CTA Study]

Digital displays, including televisions, registered a strong performance in 2017, which contributed to a slowing early this year, says the update. CTA now forecasts total digital display unit sales to drop 6% from last year, reaching only 40.4 million units.

Despite the decline, higher average wholesale prices will maintain 2018 projected revenue of $21 billion at about the 2017 level, CTA said.

Strong growth, however, is occurring in the 4K UHD TV category. For the year, 18.6 million units are expected to be sold, an 11% increase from 2017.

OLED unit sales are forecasted to climb to 772,000, a 45% increase, earning $1.4 billion in revenue in 2018. Next year, OLED display revenue is forecasted to increase 50%, propelling the category over the $2 billion mark. Next-generation screen technology is expected to be the driver of growth in the future, says CTA.

As for the other screen-based technologies, the updated forecast adjusted 2017 and 2018 revenue figures to $69 billion and $78 billion, respectively. Unit shipments this year are expected to growth 1% to 169.4 million.

When it comes to laptops, unit sales are forecasted to reach 50.1 million units in 2018 and earn $28.4 billion, according to the revision.

Revenue from subscriptions to music and video streaming services is forecasted to climb to $19.7 billion in 2018, 38% higher than the previous year. Streaming video services, such as Netflix, Hulu and Sling TV, are expected to generate $13.4 billion in revenue, according to the update.

“We are undergoing a huge shift in how people consume content,” said Rick Kowalski, senior manager of market research and business intelligence, CTA. “Video streaming services are offering an increasing amount of exclusive content, and live TV streaming options are becoming widely available this year — and that has more consumers exploring their over-the-top video options.”

[Want more information like this? Subscribe to our newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox.]

Sony introduced a pair of TVs under a new top-of-the-line Master series, positioning them as a reflection of its end-to-end (or “lens to living room”) commitment to picture quality.

The A9F OLED and Z9F LED feature a Sony-exclusive Netflix Calibrated Mode that’s better able to reproduce what content creators see during video production, executives from both companies said during a press event in New York on Tuesday. They likened the mode to the pro-grade monitors used during video post-production.

Both TVs, which will come in 55- and 65-inch sizes, feature Sony’s X1 Ultimate processor with object-based enhancement technology, first previewed during CES in January. They also include Dolby Vision and HDR10 support, while the Acoustic Surface Audio technology adds a center-channel speaker for more accurate sound reproduction.

The X-Wide Angle technology is designed to ensure picture and color quality remain consistent regardless of the viewing angle, while X-Motion Clarity reduces motion blur.

Pricing was not revealed. Shipping is slated for fall.

There was much talk of Sony’s commitment to “Kando” during the presser, a Japanese term for the act of evoking an emotional response. During a Q&A hosted by actress Alison Haislip, Bill Baggelaar, Sony Pictures senior VP of technology production and post-production technologies; Cheryl Goodman, Sony’s communications head; Scott Mirer, Netflix’s VP of device partner ecosystem; and Zack Estrin, producer of Netflix’s “Lost in Space,” waxed poetic on the Master series’ ability to deliver the experience the creator originally intended.

Noted Mirer on the reasoning behind Netflix’s long-standing partnership with Sony: “We reach our members through these devices. The stories have more impact when they do a better job of bringing that story to them in all its glory and intent.”

[Want more information like this? Subscribe to our newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox.]

Few things are a more iconic representation of a traditional U.S. home than a big TV in the living room.

And while smartphones are pacing to reach TV ownership rates within the next five years, consumers still place value on large screens in living rooms and are willing to spend more to have them, according to recent data from NPD Connected Intelligence.

In releasing its most recent “TV Ownership Trends Report,” the market research firm noted that among three reasons for purchasing a replacement 4K Ultra TV — larger screen, better picture quality, more affordable pricing — bigger was cited by consumers as No. 1. Of the consumers who purchased a 4K/UHD replacement TV, 45% cited a larger screen as the No. 1 desire, while 39% shelled out for better picture quality and 24 percent because pricing became more affordable.

[Read: Next Gen TVs Record Greatest Gain In U.S. Household Ownership, Says CTA Study]

Nearly two-thirds (62%) of these TVs were installed in the living room, with the average size display for this room listed at 52 inches.

The average replacement screen size for all other rooms, meanwhile, was 43 inches.

Unsurprisingly, 4K/UHD adoption rose, with the number of respondents replacing an existing TV with a 4K/UHD TV growing to 28% in February, up from 23% in November 2017.

“While the number of installed TVs per U.S. household has shrunk slightly in recent years, consumers are continuing to spend on the primary TV in their home, upgrading it to the biggest screen and the best picture they can afford,” said Stephen Baker, VP, industry advisor for NPD. “Despite the fact that content viewership is splintering among devices, it’s important to note that demand for a great TV to occupy a prominent position in home is not diminishing.”

Baker observed that 90% of the installed base of TVs in the U.S. is not yet 4K/Ultra HD.

“Screen size and picture quality are driving consumer purchase decisions instead of price, which seems to indicate that the industry has been slow to address the shifting value proposition of the TV in the home,” he added.

[Want more information like this? Subscribe to our newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox.]

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—A new study finds the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs on TVs from China would boost the price Americans pay for sets, costing an estimated $711 million next year.

The study, commissioned by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and National Retail Federation (NRF), finds the proposed tariffs will increase the price of TVs from China by 23 percent and increase prices for all TVs by 4 percent.

"These proposed tariffs are bad for the economy, businesses and American consumers," said Gary Shapiro, CEO and president, CTA.

The study relies on a model that reflects shifts to other sources that would occur if the tariff on Chinese products in four product areas –televisions, monitors, batteries and printers—were imposed.

[Read: The Top 10 Tech Trends For 2018: Juniper Research]

The results “show that, even accounting for alternative sources of supply, the proposed tariffs would have a negative impact on American consumers,” the study said.

As relates to TVs, the tariffs would result in U.S. consumers cutting back on television purchases by 7.8 percent, it found. “The net impact on the economy (the value of U.S. producer gains plus tariff revenues to the U.S. government, minus the value of consumer losses) is a hit of $322 million,” it said.

"China's unfair trade practices must be addressed, but as this study shows, tariffs aren't the answer and will punish U.S. consumers in the form of higher prices," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

NEW YORK--As of yesterday, Kenichiro Yoshida is in the driver's seat at Sony as the new CEO. So what to expect?

Yoshida was Sony's chief financial officer in the turnaround days of the last five years, so he comes with a keen eye on the ledger, but not necessarily an eye for the kind of innovative technology that is Sony's legacy.

His success as an executive is plain. Sony has been ringing up record profits by culling its product lines, nurturing its digital imaging business and concentrating on premium-priced devices, while simultaneously riding its PlayStation franchise to profitability.

But Sony is a very different company than in its heyday. Gone are the days of the Walkman. Sony has ceded ground in the innovation race to Samsung, LG and Apple. It no longer feels the need to be a bleeding-edge consumer device supplier. Rather, it has pivoted to a sort of hybrid supplier of imaging processors and chipsets to other manufacturers, while leveraging its gaming business with millennials. Record profits are the result.

[Read: Sony Launches Media Solutions Division To Consolidate Cloud Services]

In addition, Sony's entertainment division is still a behemoth, and Yoshida is about as far away from a movie mogul or record impresario as possible. There are doubts from analysts that he is equipped to take on those businesses.

Still, Sony has showed glimpses of it innovative-centric past. At CES in January it caused a bit of stir with its reimagined Aibo robot dog. It was a move out of its past with a coolness factor that has been lacking in recent years.

Yoshida's path is bumpy at best; however, the Sony legacy endures, and the industry will be watching to see if he embraces the challenge.

This article originally appeared in TV Technology's sister publication, TWICE. 

Television screens are getting bigger and sexier, but the audio technology in them seems to have stagnated. Connections haven’t changed other than an upgrade to HDMI 2.0 for some. There is good news however, with more mention of front-facing speakers instead of down facing, and more manufacturers including multiple drivers instead of single small speakers.

Philips’ Fidelio E5 is a 4.1 speaker system, with Bluetooth and Near Field Communications. If you happen to have incredibly deep pockets, you can pick up the 105-inch LG Ultra HD curved, 21:9 aspect ratio television with 7.2 multichannel sound provided by Harman Kardon. Then there is the Sharp Aquos Ultra HD with six front facing speakers, including tweeters, midrange, and dual subwoofers, all powered by an underwhelming 35 Watts of power. Honestly, it has to be hard to get decent sounding speakers into a box as thin as television displays have become, which may be why LG is outfitting its Gallery OLED TVs with something called a canvas speaker that delivers 2.2 channels of audio with 100 Watts of power. The canvas speaker tech remains totally mysterious and whether they sound good or are simply a tie-in to the Gallery display name remains to be seen.

Fortunately, manufacturers have come up with a solution to poor sounding televisions: sound bars and sound stands. Reviews for these speaker systems, which try to emulate either front array or full surround imaging, run the gamut from OK to really great. Most television manufacturers had sound bars on display, with the GoldenEar 3D Array sound bar generating the most attention. Sound bases, which are like sound bars but are also a base for the television to sit on top of, seem to be coming on strong this year, with the Vizio Sound Stand, LG SoundPlate, Samsung HW-H600 Sound Stand, and Sony HT-XT1 Speaker Base among models announced at the show.

WIRELESS WOWS
Wireless technology was the real surprise for me coming out of this year’s show. Wireless HDMI seems to be on the immediate horizon, but there were lots of wireless audio products too. Philips was showing the Fidelio E5 speaker system, oddly a 4.1 system, with Bluetooth and Near Field Communications. The subwoofer and surround speakers connect to the left and right speakers via Bluetooth and NFC is used to connect tablets, smartphones, and other compatible devices. Samsung expanded its Shape series wireless speaker system, which also uses Bluetooth and NFC technologies. HD audio streaming over Wi-Fi is promised as part of a wireless technology from Broadcom called Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices. WICED actually uses Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC to connect not just audio devices, but home appliances, other electronics, and personal wearable technology as well.

The truly interesting wireless audio products were those using technology from Wireless Speaker and Audio. The system claims to be able to wirelessly transmit 7.1 channels of audio at up to 24-bit, 96 kHz, with 5 ms fixed latency, in all directions, with less than 160 ns delay between speakers. To help it stay free from interference from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals, the technology operates in the 5.2 to 5.8 GHz UNII bands. Bang & Olufsen demonstrated its BeoLab transmitters and receivers using WiSA that wirelessly connects their televisions and sound systems to their active speakers. Since all technology demos need source material, Sharp introduced their WiSA-enabled SD-WH1000U Universal Disc Player, which according to the manufacturer, “is the first component to transmit uncompressed sound at 24-bit/96kHz and video at Full HD (1080p)—wirelessly.” In addition to B&O and Sharp, WiSA has also signed on Onkyo, Pioneer, Polk, Gibson, Klipsch and others manufacturers to provide enabled devices. If these technologies work as promised, and if cost is kept under control, we may finally have a solution to running speaker cables all over the living room.

There were a few other tidbits from the show that are worth mentioning here because they’re all encouraging signs for the television audio industry. First is that headphones are back in a big way, with lots of high-end models being released. Hopefully this means that people are starting to listen more critically and are caring more about quality sound, but it certainly shows that the personal audio market continues to grow. Auro Technologies has announced that its immersive surround format, Auro- 3D, is coming to the home with the introduction of the Auro-3D ISSP 12.200D AV Receiver. Sony introduced the PCM-D100 portable audio recorder, which records in Direct Stream Digital format, and announced plans to bring lots of high-resolution audio products to the home.

Finally and surprisingly, Harmonic, in its end-to-end 4K transmission demos, showed that its system can handle 5.1 and 7.1, can downmix those formats, and output a host of audio codec formats including MPEG-1 L2, AAC-LC, and a couple of flavors of HEAAC. I didn’t expect to see any successful 4K transmission demos anytime soon, so I find this incredibly encouraging for the future of 4K broadcast television.

Jay Yeary is a television audio engineer who spends his days working for a large media corporation. In past lives he has worked as a live sound engineer, music editor, and sound designer. He is thrilled that high quality headphones are making a comeback and plans to use this as justification for his addiction to them. He can be contacted throughTV Technologyor via Twitter at @TVTechJay.