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CEATEC kicks off with 4K TVs, wearable devices at the forefront [Japan Times, Tokyo](Japan Times Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 07--Japan's biggest consumer electronics and IT trade show kicked off Tuesday in Chiba Prefecture with major firms showing upcoming products and giving an insight into their current research and development. Technologies on display ranged from 4K televisions and fuel-cell and hydrogen technology to wearable devices and robots. 4K, an ultra-high-definition video standard, is already a familiar sight at major electronics exhibitions worldwide and this week's Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, better known as CEATEC, is no exception. The event, held at the Makuhari Messe center, features 547 exhibitors. A total of 150 are foreign companies. As the market for 4K TVs appears to be taking off, Japanese manufacturers are launching models that can display the 4K picture -- a resolution about four times that of standard high-definition TV. "We are seeing a steady growth in large-size 4K TVs from (this year's) sales results compared with last year," said Tadamichi Atsumi, a team manager for consumer electronics products at Sharp Corp. Sharp is displaying its Aquos-brand 4K TVs at the show. Sales of 4K TVs have been rising as their prices fall. They accounted for 22 percent of the market for 50-inch screens or larger in May, up from 3.8 percent a year earlier, said BCN Inc., a Tokyo-based market research company. Atsumi said that although little content is currently available at the 4K standard, the situation is looking up as recognition of and demand for 4K grows and prices fall. Panasonic Corp.'s booth focuses heavily on what it dubs "4K World," featuring its Viera-brand 4K TVs. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is showcasing its first 4K TVs with the Real brand, which will go on sale later this month. Conspicuous in its absence from the trade show is Sony Corp., the current 4K market leader. The struggling manufacturer opted not to exhibit for the first time since CEATEC started in 2000. Sony decided it would instead spend the money on its ongoing structural reforms, a spokesman said. In fact, the 547 firms at this year's show is a record low for CEATEC. Some critics accuse it of losing ground to similar trade fairs overseas, such as the Consumer Electronics Show in the U.S. and IFA in Germany. One bright spot, though, is that automakers have shown an increasing presence at the CEATEC in the past few years. With the first commercial fuel-cell vehicles expected to hit the Japanese market next year, some automakers are using the show to prepare people for automotive fuel cell and hydrogen technology. Toyota Motor Corp. has a fuel-cell sedan on display. It plans to launch sales of fuel-cell vehicles by April. "We'd like to promote the fact that hydrogen is a promising energy source and Toyota thinks FCVs are the ultimate environmentally friendly cars," Toyota spokeswoman Yasue Kato said, using the abbreviation for fuel-cell vehicle. Fuel cells generate electricity to power the car's motors, producing only water with no carbon dioxide emissions when driving. Another sector expected to boom in coming years is wearable devices. Many people lined up Tuesday to check out items such as glasses, bands and watches at the Seiko Epson Corp. booth. The firm is exhibiting its Moverio smart glasses, which allow the wearer to watch a movie or play specially developed games. Some manufacturers are showing robotics technologies. Toshiba Corp. unveiled a humanoid communications robot. Resembling a human female, it can use sign language to communicate. The device is intended to assist elderly people and those with dementia. It was developed in a collaboration between aLab Inc., Osaka University, Shibaura Institute of Technology and Shonan Institute of Technology. The trade show wraps up Saturday. watch our video report of CEATEC from here. ___ (c)2014 the Japan Times (Tokyo) Visit the Japan Times (Tokyo) at www.japantimes.co.jp/ Distributed by MCT Information Services |