By James Wells in Berlin

BERLIN: Sony has released the world’s thinnest commercially-available 40-inch LCD television at just 9.9 mm thickness — it will be available for Australian retailers early next year.

The Bravia ZX-1 achieves its thin profile with side illumination using LED technology. This television also features a high definition wireless connection technology which carries the audiovisual signal from the separate Media Receiver to the screen in real time.

“Traditionally the illumination for LCD TVs has been provided by a backlight of flourescent tubes or LEDs behind the panels and the filters,” said Sony Europe president Fujio Nishida at the company’s press conference today.

“The new technology however has allowed us to develop a TV with LED at the side of the screen to provide the illumination.

“This is not just a prorotype developed to showcase our technology, the ZX-1 will be on sale from December this year.”

Sony Australia national sales manager David Hargreaves, who is in Berlin for the exhibition, told Current.com.au that Australian retailers will receive stock of the ZX-1 by the end of the Japanese financial year – which should see products in the market by February or March 2009.