Philips focuses on ‘value creation’ in TVs

BERLIN ― In contrast with electronics makers such as Samsung and LG that are vying for leadership in the European market, the head of Philips’ TV joint venture says the firm is not out to secure the largest market share.

“We play in a different way from Samsung, which is the No.1 player in Europe. We are not aiming to challenge the top position. We do not only just focus on growth, but also look for creating value for shareholders and consumers,” said Maarten de Vries, CEO of TP Vision, a joint venture founded in 2011 for developing, manufacturing and marketing Philips TVs.

Based on the strong brand recognition in Europe, which is the most valuable asset for the electronics firm, de Vries believes Philips has more advantages than other competitors in the European market.

“At a time when the trend is shifting to Ultra HD technology, it is again an opportunity to truly show our power in picture quality since Philips has a very strong heritage in picture quality and the relevant advanced technology,” the CEO said in an interview with The Korea Herald. 

Design is another advantage for Philips, he added.

At this year’s IFA, Philips unveiled its new 65-inch and 84-inch UHD 9000 series, along with the first four-sided Amblight TV.

Amblight is Philips’ unique technology in which light emitting diodes installed on the back of the TV generate light that automatically changes based on the colors on the TV screen, while lamps placed next to the Amblight TV also project lights that are in sync with the colors on the screen.

“We are also very strong in achieving sustainability and energy efficiency,” said the CEO, adding that “smart interaction” with other smart gadgets is another feature of Philips TVs. Philips TV 3.0, for instance, is a cloud-based app that gives users access to hundreds of local and international TV channels, while Cloud Explorer can be used as a storage solution for personal videos, music and pictures.

By Kim Young-won, Korea Herald correspondent
(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)