By James Wells at CES
LAS VEGAS, USA: Samsung has announced it will launch an entire suite of 3D products, which the company referred to as a 3D ecosystem.
Samsung has launched the 9000 series, 8000 series and 7000 series of LED 3D televisions, as well as LCD and plasma 3D panels and a 3D compatible Blu-ray player.
The timing of these releases to market is yet to be confirmed.
The 9000 series is the hero product in the range. It is a third of one inch thick (ca 8.4 millimetres) or the width of a pencil. This was met with broad applause from the assembled media in a packed press conference at the Venetian hotel.
The 9000 series also comes with a touchscreen remote control that provides the ability to watch live TV on the remote while the Blu-ray is on the television.
The plasma is also slim, measuring 1.4 inches in thickness (ca 3.5 centimetres).
To complement the 3D television announcements, Samsung invited Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of Dreamworks Animation, and Frederic Rose, chairman and CEO of Technicolor, to the stage for a live demonstration of 3D and the announcement of Monsters v Aliens on 3D Blu-ray.
Katzenberg observed that 3D films represented 10 of the 170 major releases in 2009 and yet they also represented 4 of the top 10 releases overall. He also claimed that 3D could deliver more profitability for movie producers and studios and help fight privacy.