All TCL 2021 6-Series Roku TVs to Be 8K but No Current Plans for ATSC 3.0
All of TCL’s 2021 6-Series quantum dot Roku TVs will be 8K models, said Aaron Dew, director-product development, TCL North America, on the company’s Tuesday prerecorded media conference geared to the U.S. and Canada markets. The 6-Series is “the best balance of high-performance display technology and accessible package for mainstream TV shoppers,” rather than “bleeding-edge display technologies” found in the flagship Mini-LED TVs, said Dew.
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The Mini-LED TVs, dubbed OD Zero, are built on Google’s Android TV operating system. Asked whether those series will have 8K models, a TCL spokesperson told us Android TV is available in the company’s lower end 3- and 4-Series TVs. TCL expects to have more information about additional TV series and features for Google TV in the North America market later this year, along with pricing and availability.
On whether TCL 2021 TVs will be NextGenTV-compatible, the spokesperson said TCL TVs in North America support “universally available” ATSC broadcasts and feature “extensive program guides and broadcast live TV pause capability.” TCL has no plans to support the ATSC 3.0 standard in 2021, she said. It also has no plans to support “the current generation of Filmmaker Mode or IMAX Enhanced in TCL TVs in North America at this time.”
The company will bring the TCL Home app, available in some markets now, to the U.S. this year, said Dew. TCL’s Android and Roku TVs will be controllable through the app, allowing them to manage the company’s smart home appliances from TVs, too. The company will add features to the app during the year including promotions, a direct support link and continuous updates, he said.
TCL TV owners can use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for simple voice commands via Echo and Google Nest smart speakers, Dew said, giving the example of asking Google to turn on a portable air conditioner or asking Alexa to turn on the TV. They can also create routines through the app for either voice assistant, including a geofencing option via Alexa to turn on the air conditioner “as soon as you get home.” The company recently added Apple HomeKit and AirPlay 2 compatibility to its TVs, enabling users to issue simple commands from Siri or cast photos and videos to the screen over AirPlay. Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri voice control is available on 2017 and later TCL TVs.
The company confirmed U.S. pricing for its TCL20 5G smartphone, which will sell in the U.S. for under $300. Product Marketing Manager Josefina Fuster said the company’s goal is to deliver “affordable 5G without compromising.” The company will launch its first 5G tablet and its first foldable phone this year, Fuster said. Artificial intelligence-based features in its latest tablets, meanwhile, include a dedicated reading mode said to deliver a “book-like” reading experience with no flicker or blue light. TCL Nxtpaper technology delivers 25% higher contrast than most e-ink tablets and is 65% more power efficient than standard LCD screens, she said.