LG’s Ultra HD 5K UC9 TV, at 105”, the largest curved TV ever made, made its Ireland debut in Arnotts last Friday. The 105UC9 offers an at-home cinema-like experience, including spectacular picture quality and a wide viewing angle; with the ability to render the minutest detail in breath-taking clarity to create an unprecedented level of viewer immersion. The 105UC9 TV, which will be displayed in the department store window throughout May, will screen the very latest 4K content from Netflix, allowing passers-by to view the impressive cinematically-proportioned 21:9 CinemaScope screen. The TV retails for an eye watering €82,599.
LG also launched its first home entertainment Tech Zone in Ireland, which will sit within Dublin’s largest department store, Arnotts. LG’s new Arnotts Tech Zone gives customers a unique ‘At Home’ experience with LG’s OLED 4k range and Ireland’s first 105” 5K TV. The technology hub will be styled to replicate a relaxed, living room environment and will come complete with a specific OLED Experience Zone where customers can enjoy LG’s latest screen technologies, including the brand’s hero OLED 4K range, as they would at home.
Over the last 12 months (Apr 14 to March 15) the TV market in Ireland grew by 7% in value and there has been a shift to larger screen sizes. Sales of TV’s with a screen size of 50” and above have grown by 46% in value over the past 12 months. There has also been a phenomenal rise of Ultra High Definition (referred to as UHD or 4K).
UHD is a relatively new technology but when comparing the 12 months of 2014* against the 12 months to March 2015**, there has been a volume increase of over 60%. The expectation is that this market will continue to grow as new models are launched in both smaller and larger screen sizes. This growth mirrors what is happening in developed countries across Western Europe, where increasingly large screen sizes with UHD are fast becoming the norm. In the first three months of 2015, UHD sets had an average price of €1,333 and already account for over 12% of the value of the total TV market. UHD is typically concentrated in larger screen sizes, usually around 40 inch and above. For the first quarter of 2015, 70% of the value of UHD sales came from sets 50 inch and above. Source: GfK Irish Point of Sales Tracking for TV market, *Jan 14 to Dec 14, **Apr 14 to Mar 15
To bring LG’s Smart TV offering to life, a dedicated webOS station within the Tech Zone will be available for consumers to witness the heightened usability of the Smart platform. LG’s award-winning webOS platform combines easy navigation, speedy interface response times and an intuitive structure. Each Smart TV in the Arnotts store will be paired with LG’s unique Magic Remote, allowing customers to interact and browse the platform first-hand.
To complete the home entertainment offering, LG’s multi-room audio Music Flow portfolio will be displayed and demonstrated throughout the Tech Zone. Customers can create enhanced surround-sound by pairing the latest 4.1 Channel HS7 Soundbar to a TV, or experience the benefits of having a multi-room home set up at the Music Flow station. The LG Music Flow range of speakers and soundbars allows you to move music all around the home with a simple tap via an NFC device, or through the Music Flow Player app.
Andrew Mackay, Commercial Director for Consumer Electronics LG UK and Ireland, comments: “LG believes in the importance of delivering a positive in-store experience for consumers, and the power of bringing to life product benefits through live demonstrations. LG continues to work closely with our retail partners – like Arnotts – to create new and exciting consumer journeys, with this venture, our first such Brand Zone in Ireland, exemplifying our dedicated investment into strong retail display and demonstration.”
“We are delighted to launch LG’s new Experience Tech Zone in Arnotts to give our customers a unique ‘At Home’ experience. This zone has a full range of TVs to explore starting from 42 inches, culminating with Ireland’s largest TV – a 105 inch state of art 5K picture, exclusive to Arnotts. We believe an interactive retail experience is a must for our customers and strive to ensure value, excellence and above all lead the way with new technology both in-store and online. We look forward to offering an innovative and fun shopping experience with all that LG and Arnotts have to offer.” Said Mark Briscoe, Technology Department Manager, Arnotts.
