Quick, what's the first thing you think of when you hear 4K TV? Kenmore? Probably not today, but Sears hopes to make Kenmore a household brand for the living room, just as it has done for the utility room and kitchen with those famous Kenmore appliances.
65″ Kenmore Elite TV
Item # 05771398000P Model # 71398
The Kenmore Elite UHDTV displays video in exquisite 4k ultra high-definition form, enhancing the resolution of average high-definition four times over. Paired with the affordability and trusted performance consumers have come to expect from the Kenmore brand, this television offers a sleek design and crisp audio system that make it the essential centerpiece of any home theater space.
- Five picture modes (standard, dynamic, movie, user, game) allow for a customizable viewing experience every time
- LCD display with dynamic LED backlight creates high contrast and vivid color
- Two audio power speakers with 8 watts each power the Kenmore Elite UHDTV’s surround sound experience
- Dolby Digital enhances sound from digital sources like downloaded movies and music, as well as connected computers, smartphones and tablets
- Smooth Motion 120 provides ultra-smooth clarity during action sequences
- Three HDMI 2.0 ports feature HDCP encrypted content security
- One USB input supports most standard media formats (JPEG, BMP, PNG, MPEG4, H264, MOV and MP3)
- Multilingual on-screen display (English, Spanish) provide added convenience to bilingual users
- V-chip parental control allows users to restrict content based on program ratings, as well as check ratings of unfamiliar programs
- Remote control with navigation pad allows users to quickly and easily access various settings (batteries included)
Sears has launched the Kenmore Elite 4K Ultra HD TV line, featuring a 50-, 55- and 65-inch model priced at $750, $900 and $1500, respectively. The prices aren't dirt-cheap (they're more than Vizio), just like Sears' appliances run more middle-of-the-road than bottom-of-the-barrel.
In fact, today on Sears.com, you'll see a 65-inch Kenmore selling for $1,500, right next to a Samsung model on sale for the same price. A 65-inch LG model undercuts them both at $1,300.
Of course, Sears has that edge that no one else provides — “built-in smooth motion 120” that “reduces motion blur.”
Wow!
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In an online ad, Sears tells us, “The trusted name in appliances familes have relied on for more than 100 years is now in your living room.”
I believe it. I trust Kenmore. It has something to do with the pricing (reasonable, but not cheap), as well as the backing of the Sears brand, which I trust, but can't tell you why.
In a 2015 study of Most Trusted Brands conducted by Lifestory Research, Kenmore swept all kitchen-appliance categories, including cooktop/range, refrigerator and dishwasher brands (but slipped in 2016).
Kenmore Elite “brings the performance you expect with the value you deserve,” according to Sears.
I think it's a winning formula, and definitely a brand to watch in the cateogory.
Kenmore-Branded Smart Home Devices: Meh
As for the new connected devices being sold under the Kenmore brand, that's another story, and I'm not really buying it.
There's a Wi-Fi communicating air conditioner with an app. I can see that. There a connected water heater and water softener. Whatevs.
And then there's the Kenmore Alfie, “your family's intelligent shopper.” Push the button and tell Alfie what you want to buy, like a wireless drill for under $50. It will provide some options, and you can place your order via voice, for pick-up or delivery.
“Kenmore Alfie can fetch you any item from any store or website out there,” according to the Web site. Presumably, “any store” means Sears, Kmart and the Sears-affiliated etailer Shop Your Way.
Kenmore at some point will be adding smarts to its major appliances — a refrigerator that can tell you if you left the door open, a washing machine that warns you of a leak, and an ecosystem that includes monitoring by the Sears service department.
These connected features are a nice addition to the Kenmore appliances line, but they won't bring incremental business to Sears.
But Kenmore-branded 4K TVs (ironically, lacking in connectivity)? I'm bullish on that.
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