Formovie Technology, Chinese maker of laser TV and smart projectors, unveiled its latest innovations at CES 2024 this week. The company showcased several new projectors leveraging cutting-edge laser technology to deliver new visual experiences. The star of the Formovie lineup was the new Formovie Theatre 4K Triple-Laser UST Projector. As the world's first 4K ultra-short throw projector with triple laser technology, it produces a staggeringly bright 2800 ANSI lumens image with 3000:1 contrast ration at a spectacular 150-inch scale. Viewers can expect true-to-life colors and infinite contrast thanks to Formovie's advanced laser light source. The company touts the product as the world's 1st Dolby Vision & Atmos UST projector, which also features ALLM and MEMC for smoother gaming. The sound system is a bespoke work by Bowers & Wilkins. A few booth demos were available to paint the picture of the technology.

In addition, Formovie introduced the slim and portable Formovie S5 projector. Weighing only 6.5 pounds, it's an ultra-compact model ideal for on-the-go use. The S5 still outputs a bright 1100 ANSI lumens image with smooth 4K quality enabled by ALPD laser technology. Rounding out the product showcase, Formovie displayed the award-winning Formovie V10 home theater projector. Recently honored with a CES 2023 Innovation Award, the V10 stands out for its 240 Hz refresh rate, 12 ms low latency, and 2500 ANSI lumens brightness—making it a top choice for gaming and movies.

LG Electronics (LG) is introducing the company's 2024 OLED TV lineup, taking home entertainment experience to a new level. Powered by the company's latest AI processor with 4-fold higher AI performance, these new additions to the OLED lineup deliver unparalleled viewing experiences with even more vibrant, lifelike picture quality.

Driven by a customer-centric approach, LG's "Sync to You, Open to All" vision expresses the company's aim to create personalized experiences for every lifestyle, with products that are accessible to all. To this end, LG's webOS smart TV platform provides tailored solutions and services with an expanded ecosystem featuring extended connectivity, offering unique encounters as a media and entertainment platform company to provide the ultimate TV experience for all.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023. Total consolidated revenue was KRW 67.40 trillion, a 12% increase from the previous quarter, mainly due to new smartphone releases and higher sales of premium display products. Operating profit rose sequentially to KRW 2.43 trillion based on strong sales of flagship models in mobile and strong demand for displays, as losses at the Device Solutions (DS) Division narrowed.

The Memory Business reduced losses sequentially as sales of high valued-added products and average selling prices somewhat increased. Earnings in system semiconductors were impacted by a delay in demand recovery for major applications, but the Foundry Business posted a new quarterly high for new backlog from design wins. The mobile panel business reported a significant increase in earnings on the back of new flagship model releases by major customers, while the large panel business narrowed losses in the quarter. The Device eXperience (DX) Division achieved solid results due to robust sales of premium smartphones and TVs. Revenue at the Networks Business declined in major overseas markets as mobile operators scaled back investments.

LG Electronics announces the newest addition to its LG MAGNIT lineup of premium Micro LED displays. The new model (LSAL006) provides immersive home entertainment experiences via an expansive 118-inch, 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution screen featuring LG's Micro LED technology and a miniscule 0.68-millimeter pixel pitch. Possessing the elegance and scale befitting a super-luxury residence, the impressive display offers a seamless user experience with webOS, a wealth of content services, and convenient streaming from a wide range of devices.

Delivering unparalleled picture quality through the brilliance of Micro LED technology, the new LG MAGNIT allows customers to enjoy complete viewing immersion in the comfort of their own homes. The cutting-edge display's micro-scale pixels and the integration of LG's Surface Treatment technology ensure excellent image reproduction with vivid colors and outstanding contrast.

We've been focused on creating a great gaming experience for our members since 2021 when we added mobile games to Netflix. Our goal has always been to have a game for everyone, and we are working hard to meet members where they are with an accessible, smooth, and ubiquitous service. Today, we're taking the first step in making games playable on every device where our members enjoy Netflix - TVs, computers, and mobile.

We are rolling out a limited beta test to a small number of members in Canada and the UK on select TVs starting today, and on PCs and Macs through Netflix.com on supported browsers in the next few weeks. Two games will be part of this initial test: Oxenfree from Night School Studio, a Netflix Game Studio, and Molehew's Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade game. To play our games on TV, we're introducing a controller that we already have in our hands most of the day - our phones. Members on PCs and Macs can play on Netflix.com with a keyboard and mouse.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. The Company posted KRW 60.01 trillion in consolidated revenue, a 6% decline from the previous quarter, mainly due to a decline in smartphone shipments despite a slight recovery in revenue of the DS (Device Solutions) Division. Operating profit rose sequentially to KRW 0.67 trillion as the DS Division posted a narrower loss, while Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) and the Digital Appliances Business saw improved profitability.

The Memory Business saw results improve from the previous quarter as its focus on High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and DDR5 products in anticipation of robust demand for AI applications led to higher-than-guided DRAM shipments. System semiconductors posted a decline in profit due to lower utilization rates on weak demand from major applications.

LG Electronics (LG) announces the global rollout of its new Smart Cam (model VC23GA). A Full HD (FHD) video camera with built-in dual microphones and multi-view function, the Smart Cam seamlessly integrates with LG's webOS-powered smart TVs to provide enhanced user interaction with a host of premium apps and services. The pairing offers convenient video calling and conferencing, an elevated home fitness experience and much more to cater to the diverse needs of customers as they enjoy various services offered by LG Smart TVs.

Compatible with many of the services available on LG TV's webOS platform, LG Smart Cam opens up a range of diverse and compelling interactive experiences. For example, users can now conveniently connect with co-workers, clients, family or friends via RemoteMeeting, an innovative web-based video conferencing service that also works across PCs, laptops and smartphones. The FHD resolution (1,920 x 1,080) Smart Cam provides smooth, crisp video that looks remarkably clear and lifelike when displayed on LG's large screen TVs, which are known for their excellent picture quality. Setting up the RemoteMeeting app on LG TV is fast and simple and conveniently eliminates the need for a laptop or PC connection. Moreover, the Smart Cam's built-in mics mean no extra peripherals are required.

TrendForce reports that inventory reduction in Q1 fell short of expectations and coincided with the industry's traditional off-season, leading to overall subdued demand. However, due to new product release and a surge in urgent orders for specialized specifications, Q1 revenue of the global top ten IC design houses remained on par with 4Q22, with a modest QoQ increase of 0.1% for a total revenue of US$33.86 billion. Changes in ranking included Cirrus Logic slipping from the top ten as well as the ninth and tenth positions being replaced by WillSemi and MPS, respectively. The rest of the rankings remained unchanged.

The smartphone supply continues to grapple with overstock, but AI applications are entering a period of rapid growth
Qualcomm witnessed an uptick in its revenue, largely attributed to the launch and subsequent shipments of its latest flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8Gen2. The company saw 6.1% in QoQ growth in its smartphone business, which effectively offset the downturn from its automotive and IoT sectors. As a result, Qualcomm's Q1 revenue increased marginally by 0.6%, cementing its position at the top of the pack with a market share of 23.5%.

Sony has announced that Zoom Video Communications, Inc. will be coming to Sony's BRAVIA TVs that are compatible with BRAVIA CAM. This partnership will allow users to easily connect with friends, family, and colleagues for video calls and meetings from the comfort of their living room. Sony's BRAVIA is the first TV brand to support the Zoom for TV app on Google Play Store.

With Zoom on BRAVIA TVs, users will be able to take advantage of all the features that make Zoom one of the leading video communication platform. This includes video communication on a TV screen, screen sharing, and collaboration tools. Users will also be able to use BRAVIA CAM's advanced features - it recognizes where you are in the room and how far you are from the TV, then adjusts sound and picture settings so they're just right. All of that is possible with a very simple setup - when using a compatible TV with a BRAVIA CAM, it only takes downloading the Zoom app from Google Play and launching it with the TV's remote.

Select Samsung Smart TV and Smart Monitor owners will now gain access to nearly 3,000 games as Antstream Arcade and Blacknut have been added to the Samsung Gaming Hub partner lineup, with the rollout starting today. Samsung makes it easy for players of all ages to find content and choose apps from industry-leading game streaming partners: Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, Utomik, and now over 1,400 games with arcade classics from Antstream Arcade, and over 500 premium family titles and exclusive games from Blacknut.

"Samsung Gaming Hub offers players more ways to access the titles they love and discover new ones to play from our game streaming partners, no console required," said Mike Lucero, Head of Product Management for Gaming at Samsung Electronics. "With Antstream Arcade and Blacknut, we've made games even easier to jump into. Now all you need to do is pick up your Samsung TV remote to enjoy great games like "Pac-Man" and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?", or pair your Bluetooth controller to access thousands of world-class games across genres. With more games and more ways to play, there has never been a better time to play games on Samsung Gaming Hub."

According to a newly published study, by market analysts at Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), TV OLED panel production costs are set to fall consistently over the next two years. Thanks to increased efficiency and improved yields at key manufacturing facilities, premium TV models could drop in price within a few months (maybe in time for Christmas) - according to FlatPanelsHD. The DSCC report indicates that production costs per 55-inch OLED panel are predicted to decrease by roughly 20% (when compared to data from 2022), with the same percentage reduction lined up for 2024. LG Display's "white OLED" panel is the given example here - it is featured on many 2023 TV ranges including LG's own C3 and G3 models, as well as units from competing brands: Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Hisense, etc.

Samsung's proprietary QD-OLED TV technology is also forecasted to become cheaper to produce - by 30% - according to the market analysts at DSCC. The Display division's South Korean factory lines are capable of pumping out 65-inch QD-OLED panels at greater efficiency this year - with a reported higher overall yield when compared to 2022's results (from 68% to 84%). Samsung's quantum dot panels are usually reserved for flagship level TV models, but lower production costs could lead to more mid-range televisions adopting the high-end display technology.

Imagination Technologies is bringing seamless visual experiences to cost-sensitive consumer devices with the new IMG CXM GPU range which includes the smallest GPU to support HDR user interfaces natively.

Consumers are looking for visuals on their smart home platforms that are as detailed, smooth, and responsive as the experience they are accustomed to on mobile devices. At the same time, ambitious content providers are aligning the look and feel of their applications' user interfaces with their cinematic content, by integrating advanced features such as 4K and HDR.

LG Electronics USA announced pricing and availability of the latest addition to its LG CineBeam lineup, the LG CineBeam PU700R. Featuring an intuitive and interior-friendly design that doesn't compromise on picture quality, the PU700R is available now at LG.com for $1699. Consumers who purchase an LG CineBeam PU700R projector through June 11 will receive a free LG XBOOM 360 Bluetooth speaker XO3QBE ($299.99 ARV).

The PU700R allows for content to be cast up to 120 inches in exceptional 4K UHD picture quality, and with optimized brightness levels and HDR support, users can enjoy high-quality picture in ambient lighting environments.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023. The Company posted KRW 63.75 trillion in consolidated revenue, a 10% decline from the previous quarter, as overall consumer spending slowed amid the uncertain global macroeconomic environment. Operating profit was KRW 0.64 trillion as the DS (Device Solutions) Division faced decreased demand, while profit in the DX (Device eXperience) Division increased.

The DS Division's profit declined from the previous quarter due to weak demand in the Memory Business, a decline in utilization rates in the Foundry Business and continued weak demand and inventory adjustments from customers. Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) saw earnings in the mobile panel business decline quarter-on-quarter amid a market contraction, while the large panel business slightly narrowed its losses. The DX Division's results improved on the back of strong sales of the premium Galaxy S23 series as well as an enhanced sales mix focusing on premium TVs.

TPU doesn't normally cover TVs, but at Touch Taiwan had a new gaming focused TV panel that might very well end up in some very high-end gaming "monitors" as well. The panel is a 65-inch model that supports 7680 x 4320 resolution at up to 120 Hz. However, the high-end specs don't stop there, as the panel has a 4,608 zone full array local dimming backlight, which gives it a typical brightness of 400 cd/m², but it can go up to 1,800 cd/m² at 10 percent areas in HDR mode.

As with the 4K display panel we wrote about earlier, this TB panel also features AUO's A.R.T. "reflectionless" feature, which should prevent it from being overly reflective in brightly lit areas. The demo panel was powered by MediaTek's Pentonic 2000 SoC, which is currently one of the highest-end 8K TV processors and potentially the only one with support for H.266 video decoding. Sadly we don't have any indication on which TV manufacturers will use the new display, but regardless of the brand, we expect the retail products to be very expensive.

It's been a little more than a year since we launched games on Netflix to bring even more entertainment to our members as part of their Netflix subscription. In this short time, we've released 55 games, with about 40 more slated for later this year and 70 in development with our partners. That's in addition to the 16 games currently being developed by our in-house game studios. Our goal is to develop a broad portfolio of games - in different genres and formats - because we believe everyone can find joy in games if they discover the one (or many!) that is right for them.

This year we're going to continue building our portfolio - and that means new games every month. Members will discover indie darlings, award-winning hits, RPGs, narrative adventures, puzzle games and everything in between, and we're working with the world's leading studios to bring you these games.

TrendForce's recent analysis of the foundry market reveals that demand continues to slide for all types of mature and advanced nodes. The major IC design houses have cut wafer input for 1Q23 and will likely scale back further for 2Q23. Currently, foundries are expected to maintain a lower-than-ideal level of capacity utilization rate in the first two quarters of this year. Some nodes could experience a steeper demand drop in 2Q23 as there are still no signs of a significant rebound in wafer orders. Looking ahead to the second half of this year, orders will likely pick up for some components that underwent an inventory correction at an earlier time. However, the state of the global economy will remain the largest variable that affect demand, and the recovery of individual foundries' capacity utilization rates will not occur as quickly as expected. Taking these factors into account, TrendForce currently forecasts that global foundry revenue will drop by around 4% YoY for 2023. The projected decline for 2023 is more severe when compared with the one that was recorded for 2019.

We don't normally cover TV's at TPU, but this one is so different to anything else out there, that we had to cover it. A US company that goes under the name Displace, will launch the Displace TV at CES 2023 in January and maybe the least strange part of this TV is that it'll have a CPU from AMD and a GPU from NVIDIA, although technically speaking, neither is actually inside the TV itself. The display itself doesn't seem to be particularly remarkable, as it's a 55-inch 4K display based around an unknown OLED panel. However, Displace claims that the sub 20 lbs (9.07 kg) panel features "proprietary active-loop vacuum technology" which allows it to be stuck to any wall without the need of mounting hardware.

If that wasn't crazy enough, the Displace TV is powered by an interchangeable battery pack and the company claims that the TV has a month's worth of battery life, assuming you don't use it more than six hours a day. The company provides four batteries and a charging station with the TV, as well as a base unit, which houses the AMD CPU and NVIDIA GPU. The only other thing the company mentioned about the base station is that it supports Wi-Fi 6E. The Displace TV also supports gesture control, as well as voice control and a remote. For those that find a 55-inch TV a bit on the small side, Displace claims that up to four panels can be connected together to create a 110-inch 16K TV, although it seems like they've counted wrong here, as four times 4K resolution is only 8K, not 16K. It all sounds a bit too good to be true, but we'll have to wait and see if the company really shows up at CES and if it has a product that delivers on all its claims.

MediaTek today launched the Pentonic 1000, its latest flagship smart TV system-on-chip (SoC) designed for 4K 120 Hz displays. Pentonic 1000 integrates Wi-Fi 6/6E support, MEMC for smoother video, a powerful AI processor, Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail, and 8-screen Intelligent View so users can watch or preview multiple streams of content at once. The chipset also supports the most advanced video codecs and global TV broadcast standards in a single platform.

The MediaTek Pentonic 1000 combines a powerful multi-core CPU, dual-core GPU, dedicated AI processing unit (APU) and video decoding engines into a single chip. The chipset provides resolution support up to 4K at 120 Hz and is capable of VRR up to 4K at 144 Hz for gaming applications. In addition to supporting super-fast frame rates for smoother gaming, it provides a lag-free experience with Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

Omni Remotes (www.omniremotes.com), a global leader in home control solutions, has launched the Model P+, in collaboration with Swedish industrial company Exeger (www.exeger.com). Featuring Exeger's Powerfoyle, this perpetual remote combines premium aesthetics with state-of-the-art solar technology and has the potential to significantly reduce the use and disposal of alkaline batteries.

Built upon 2021's award-winning Model P, the Model P+ uses Powerfoyle's superior indoor light harvesting capabilities, while harnessing Omni's ultra-low power platform. For individuals, this can mean never replacing or recharging the batteries in their remotes. For the pay TV and consumer electronics industries, this would be a vital step towards meeting environmental net-zero targets.

ProScreenCast has announced their newest 4K 60 Hz with HDR screen casting adaptor, the SC01, is now available worldwide. SC01 build with HDMI 2.0b and is capable of streaming true 4K resolution up to 60 Hz refresh rate with HDR color, it is designed to stream video wirelessly to TV, projector or any display with HDMI. This allows you to experience 4K image quality on a big screen from your mobile phone or PC, without having to run cables across the room.

SC01 allows you to stream video from your mobile phone, Pad or PC to a big screen without using any cables. The plug-and-play installation is simple and you do not need to install additional APP to do the setup, everything can be done in the web browser. SC01 supports both 2.4G & 5G Wi-Fi to give you stable connection and is very compact in size and have internal Wi-Fi antenna, which allows you to carry around easily.

Jelly Key is quite possibly the most known and popular of the artisan keycap market for mechanical keyboards, and we have covered the brand's products extensively in the past. One such example is of the Retro TV series itself, which employed a unique form factor that still complied to the 1u size for keys, and composed of individually crafted and designed screens, TV shells, and internal components that came together to make a truly unique product for those who want to jazz up their keyboards further. But if disco is more to your preference, perhaps this latest offering in the Retro TV series is for you. Jelly Key has improved details and contrast with new and bolder colors and patterns. There is also a new 1.25u size option, which is retroactively available with the older designs too, as well as x32 and x77 time sized larger toys that can be showpieces as well as working with Kailh's Big Switch series. The group buy ends April 30 with prices ranging from $55-73 for single keycaps, and those who purchase an entire set (10-16 colors and 9 screens) will also get a custom designed deskpad for free.

MediaTek has announced it is the first TV SoC vendor to support Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail. Precision Detail is a new innovative feature introduced for TVs with Dolby Vision IQ, which will be supported in MediaTek's Pentonic series for 8K and 4K smart TVs. In addition, the Pentonic series will enable TV manufacturers to support features designed for gaming in Dolby Vision along with other advanced capabilities. MediaTek and Dolby collaborated on the implementation of these technologies, which will be available starting in 2H 2022 for TV OEMs to begin adopting.

Joining Dolby's suite of Advanced Imaging technologies available through Dolby Vision IQ, Precision Detail unlocks more from Dolby Vision content by revealing incredible detail in both bright and dark areas. With added texture and depth, images take on a new dimension with astonishing crispness on 8K and 4K smart TVs. In addition to Precision Detail, MediaTek's Intelligent View technology paired with Dolby's latest advancements in imaging technology can process multiple Dolby Vision streams simultaneously. Consumers can now watch different media sources at the same time in Dolby Vision in multiple windows, all in stunning detail.

LG Electronics (LG) is teaming up with NVIDIA to offer new LG 2021 4K Smart TV owners in select markets free Priority membership to NVIDIA GeForce NOW for six months. The promotion kicks off as GeForce NOW moves out of beta on LG TVs in a total of 80 markets, ready to provide users worldwide with the full power of NVIDIA's unique cloud gaming service. GeForce NOW allows users to stream free-to-play games purchased from online stores such as Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect and Origin, turning their LG Smart TV into a high performance gaming machine. Priority membership provides faster access to NVIDIA's servers so there's no waiting for games to start, extended session times, gorgeous ray-traced graphics with RTX ON and seamless, high-res gameplay at up to 60 frames per second.

GeForce NOW Priority membership is open to all customers who purchase an applicable LG 2021 4K Smart TV model during the promotion period in participating markets. The limited-time offer will run in the United States from February 1 to March 20 and will require LG TV customers to download and install GeForce NOW on their new LG TVs.

As the global vaccination rate rose, and border restrictions in Europe and North America eased, social activities also began to enter a period of recovery, with the consumer electronics market seemingly ready for the arrival of the traditional peak season in 2H21, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. At the same time, however, the global supply chain was affected by delays in maritime transport, skyrocketing shipping costs, and component shortages, in addition to already-prohibitive price hikes for certain components in 1H21. Given the parallel rise in both material and manufacturing costs, the market for end products has not undergone the expected cyclical upturn in 2H21. Even so, the overall demand for and shipment of smartphones, notebook computers, and monitors experienced QoQ increases in 3Q21, thereby driving up businesses for major OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) companies. For 3Q21, the revenues of the top 10 OSAT companies reached US$8.89 billion, a 31.6% YoY increase.