Sony’s new 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs will be available in the US from 21 April, with the US$699 4K player coming later in the year.
We noted at the end of 2012 that this would be the year that Ultra HD or 4K TVs would drop in both size and price, and Sony certainly seems set to deliver.
The company has revealed the pricing and availability for two of its LED TVs shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The 55-inch XBR-55X900A will cost US$4999, while the 65-inch XBR-65X900A will be US$6999. Both sets will be available in the US from 21 April. As yet, Sony Australia has not made any announcements regarding local prices or dates.
Sony also gave pricing details and vague availability for its 4K media player, the FMP-X1. Priced at US$699, the X1 will be available in the US in the middle of the year (Sony merely timed it as the Northern Hemisphere’s “summer”). The rounded media player bears a striking resemblance to Sony’s older TP Home Theatre PC product.
The X1 will be preloaded with a fairly eclectic selection of 4K content, including Bad Teacher, Battle: Los Angeles, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Karate Kid (2010), Salt, Taxi Driver, That’s My Boy, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Other Guys and Total Recall (2012).
However, consumers keen to take advantage of Sony’s upcoming 4K movie streaming service will have to wait until “fall of 2013” (October or November in the Southern Hemisphere) for access to the fee-based video-on-demand service.