Sony Announces NZ Launch of Expanded Ultra HD TV Range

Sony will release more affordable — but smaller — Ultra HD TVs in July.

Six months after unleashing its 84-inch behemoth, Sony will offer 65- and 55-inch variations at prices yet to be disclosed.

Sony is scaling back its struggling TV production division to concentrate on mobile technology and those displays at the top end of the market where retail margins are still high.

There’s no word on when it will roll out its Full HD models, which last year landed here in April.

But the new 4K models will include innovations beyond native 3840 x 2160 resolution and the upscaling of even low-res web videos and smartphone clips to near this quality (or so Sony claims).

“Once you’ve seen it there’s no going back,” the press release says.

And that’s not an exaggeration.

Anyone who’s drooled over the 84-inch display at a Sony Store knows it’s a jaw-dropping wonder that truly achieves a startling sense of immersion in what’s on screen — although whether the impact will be the same on screens 20-30 inches smaller is questionable.

Still, unique to Sony are its Triluminos display technology, which is meant to deliver a wider colour palette; the processing grunt of its X-Reality PRO engine; and its TV SideView app for Android or iOS devices, which “mirrors” their content — photos, games, videos — on screen.

The new TVs also will showcase Sony’s “Sense of Quartz” styling, with the monolithic quartz-like panel “floating” over a circular base.