By Patrick Avenell

Hisense Australia’s first range of Ultra HD TVs will comprise an enormous 84-inch model (XT900) and a large 65-inch panel (XT880), both of which will be sold through limited national distribution, starting in June 2013.

A key feature of Hisense’s first batch of 3,840 x 2,160 LED LCD panels will be its Smart features. Although the company is still finalising its Google TV range, these two models will include internet connectivity, apps and widgets, web browsing, social networking and screen mirroring functionality, as marketing manager Andre Iannuzzi explained.

“Consumers are looking for more than a monitor in their TVs — they want a rich product experience and a more complex content offering to fulfil fast changing multiscreen consumer behaviour,” he said. “This is the reason Hisense is introducing Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) across all our 2013 TV products.

“MHL allows consumers to screen share their secondary device with Hisense TVs. Seventy-seven per cent of Australian TV viewers watch TV with another device: 48 per cent with a smartphone, 31 per cent with a PC or Mac.

“Hisense is meeting current consumer trends and offering great features at better prices.”

To promote this new range, Hisense is rolling out store-in-store concepts nationwide in partnership with JB Hi-Fi. The first two of 20 planned displays are at JB’s stores in Chadstone (Victoria) and Moore Park (New South Wales).

Iannuzzi said the brilliance of Ultra HD TV displays, regardless of the brand, is something that needs to be shown off to consumers in store.

“Ultra HD technology enables stunningly realistic picture quality and beautifully natural motion with incredible detail, offering one of the most immersive entertainment experiences available in 2D or 3D today,” he said.

“In addition to live TV, the XT880 and XT900 will support a variety of streamed content, web browsing and search, social networking, games and apps through intuitive on-screen navigation.”

Hisense’s soon-to-be-released 65-inch Ultra HD TV (XT880).