Panasonic and Amazon are teaming up to include Amazon’s Fire TV platform as the operating system in new TVs from the manufacturer, including new 55-inch, 65-inch and 77-inch OLED TVs for 2024.
According to Amazon, Fire TV built into Panasonic’s new OLED TVs is designed to enhance how users discover and consume content, with streaming apps and live TV channel integrated into the experience. Like other smart TV platforms, the home screen offers tailored recommendations designed to help users find content without scrolling too far.
The TVs can become dynamic displays when content is not streaming with the Fire TV Ambient Experience that turns the TV into an always on smart display that rotates through art, personal photos, and information like calendars and reminders through Alexa widgets (similar to Samsung TVs).
Speaking of Alexa, the TVs are the first from Panasonic to feature far-field voice control with Alexa, allowing users to use their voice to launch apps play music, search for content and control smart home devices. The TVs feature a smart home dashboard where users can monitor and control connected home systems.
The TVs are also marketed as having a new processor that leverages AI and mathematical models for crisp, natural images and superior streaming noise reduction. The TVs also support Dolby Vision IQ Precision Detail for picture enhancement by adjusting light levels in each area of the screen to draw out more detail without boosting the brightness too much.
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In addition, the Panasonic TVs feature a 144Hx refresh rate and the True Game Mode pre-set to enhance color accuracy for a more cinematic gaming experience.
The collaboration follows a popular trend coming out of CES 2024 of smart home platform developers partnering with TV manufacturers. Google and LG announced a collaboration to build Chromecast into LG TVs and add support for Google Home, and Samsung is bringing SmartThings control to its TVs.
Amazon, a major player in the smart home space, also announced Matter Casting to enable customers to cast content to Fire TV and Echo Show 15 devices directly from supporting streaming apps on iOS and Android devices. Similar to Chromecast or Airplay, customers can begin watching content on a streaming app and cast it to their Fire TV device or Echo Show 15 in what Amazon calls an “industry-first demonstration of implementing Matter casting.”
To start, the feature only works with Prime Video content to Echo Show 15 devices, but it will be coming to Fire TV devices in the coming months, including new Panasonic TVs with Fire TV built in. Plex, Pluto TV, Sling TV, STARZ and ZDF will be added to Master Casting support later this year.
The company also announced new Alexa LLM-powered capabilities with BMW’s assistant. Users can ask the BMW assistant for recommendations on different drive modes and have the assistant activate the preferred mode. Users can also ask for instructions on how car features work and hear explanations through the BMW assistant’s customized voice.
This follows a previous announcement that BMW’s next generation Intelligent Personal Assistant will be supported through Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant technology.
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