Philips keen to launch personal TVs in Asia-Pacific

By K. T. Jagannathan

PENANG, MAY 8. The consumer electronics major Philips has tentatively set fourth quarter 2002 as the target date for the launch of its personal television sets in the Asia-Pacific region. The Dutch multinational has already launched the product in the American market. Philips people feel the personal television has been well received by customers and reviewers alike within weeks of its launch.

Philips personal TV, a joint product with TiVo, a Silicon Valley start-up that provides personalised services, gives a viewer choice, control and convenience.

Mr. Andrew Eng, General Manager, Digital Network, Malaysia, who made a presentation on ``Philips Personal TV'' at a media conference here recently, quoted Forrester research and IDC reports to drive home this point. These reports have predicted the U.S. household penetration within five years of between 8 and 14 million.

As a prelude to its launch in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr. Eng said Philips would undertake a market study in Malaysia, to begin with, to gauge the potential for personal television in that region and explore the possibilities for joining hands with a local service partner.

According to Mr. Eng, viewers in Europe at least have the choice between more than 3,000 TV programmes a week. This number goes up to nearly 30,000 with digital satellite. In his reckoning, a TV viewer may not watch more than 30 programmes. A personal TV ideally should help him/her not to miss favourite shows and provide flexibility to pause when the doorbell rings or when a telephone call is made and resume watching at one's convenience. A provision for rewind to catch the key minute of the sporting event or fast-forward (of course within limits) a programme was going to be the sine quo non of ``television viewing tomorrow'', Mr. Eng said. ``Philips personal TV always has more than a full evening's worth of content ready for viewers to watch on demand'', he said.

The contents can either be sought by the user or selected by TiVo based on the user's profile, he claims. The TiVo central menu helps a viewer control his/her viewing experience. The Philips personal television offers an assortment of options. A viewer can pick his/her choice using a programming guide. Or, he can tune in to programmes suggested by TiVo. Alternatively, a viewer can even teach TiVo about his/her likes and dislikes to offer programmes fitting a user profile. The viewer literally takes control of the programme he/she wants, using thumps up or down sign!

Meanwhile, the company is unleashing a slew of televisions in the global marketplace. The Philips Flat TV with a plasma screen - 42PF9952 - is aimed at home cinema enthusiasts who prefer to combine the TV with their own choice of audio system component. This can be hung on the wall like a painting. It is also introducing in the Asia-Pacific region wide screen sets with the latest real flat tube technology. The 36-inch new set - 36PW9525 - is designed to provide natural viewing experience. Philips is also adding to its super large TV line-up for 2000 by launching a new rear-projection wide screen TV within 55-inch screen size. This is aimed at professional and semi-professional applications in the information and entertainment areas.

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