Haier smart TVs arrive in Italy (hand in hand with Dazn)

The list of Chinese manufacturers that populate the shelves of Italy's large consumer electronics shops is already quite rich, and from the next few weeks they will also welcome Haier in the area dedicated to televisions. One of the world's most important brands in the large household appliance sector is therefore entering the field by bringing a new range of Smart TVs (available for pre-order on the site) to the domestic market, and it is doing so with an exceptional partner, namely Dazn. There are two lines of the collaboration (exclusive for two years) signed with the streaming platform: a special offer with 12 months of standard subscription by purchasing (worth around 400 euros) from the first of July one of the models in the catalogue (the promotion applies to 90% of the range) and an agreement on the media and editorial front, with app activations that will be made available from the next sports season. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the San Siro Stadium in Milan was chosen for the launch event, with Diletta Leotta participating in the role of patroness of the evening.

From Oled technologies to Quantom Dot MiniLed technologies to solutions based on QLed and LED panels: the range of products fielded by Haier is complete and goes in the direction, as Emiliano Garofalo, Country Manager Italy of Haier Europe, also confirms, of strengthening a vision that for some time now (with refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and other white appliances) has been projected towards a domestic ecosystem that is increasingly connected, engaging and customisable. The objective, as the manager specified in a note, is ambitious - "we don't want to simply introduce another product onto the market, we want to change the rules of the game" - and the weapons with which Haier will play the game in a market that is certainly not brilliant in terms of growth in demand are partnerships and a distribution plan for the channel designed for the occasion. The list prices, Garofalo explained to Sole24ore.com, "reflect a strategy that focuses on the value of partnerships, Dazn and Nintendo being the first ones already activated, and on the real needs of Italian consumers, who love football and gaming very much in Italy". The goal, in other words, is to increase the availability of content that can be managed via hOn on the visual hub that is the TV, and to work closely with partners to create an attractive entertainment experience for users: with Dazn, for example, Haier is engineering the software to integrate it natively into new TVs, and will integrate the platform's dedicated button on the remote control.

The formats of the TVs now on the market range from 32 to 98 inches, but the real gem of the collection will arrive by the end of the year, with the new M96 QD-Mini Led model, which will have a 115-inch panel enhanced by integrated artificial intelligence features. Thanks to AI Vocal Separation technology based on machine learning algorithms, for example, the TV can recognise the position of voices on the screen and reproduce the sound in a manner consistent with the image, so that the audio can be diffused exactly from where the scene is taking place.

At the top of the Chinese manufacturer's offering are Oled devices, with the C95 series promising perfect blacks, infinite contrast, flawless viewing from all angles and low blue light emission to reduce eye fatigue, even during prolonged screen viewing. At list price, the 65-inch organic diode TV will come in at EUR 2,399. The MiniLed range powered by quantum dots, on the other hand, currently includes three models (M90, M80 and M96) and the first available will be the 65-inch cut, with entry prices of €1,199. For all of them, the common feature is the thousands of independent LEDs that illuminate the display to ensure brilliant images even in bright light. On the audio side, in addition to Dolby Atmos and dbx-tv technologies, Haier has relied on Harman Kardon to integrate a soundbar integrated into the Oled and M95 MiniLed series, while the M80 and M96 families feature KEF speakers. The first examples of the QLed line will be available from 799 euros (55-inch Q80) up to 2,999 euros for the 98-inch top of the range (S90).

The specifications of the new TVs include support for all the main HDR formats (including Dolby Vision IQ), the VRR function (Variable Refresh Rate, which dynamically adapts the refresh rate to the frame rate of the console or PC, frame by frame) to ensure fluidity and stability of the images even in the fastest actions, and an environmental sensor that automatically adjusts brightness and contrast in real time. Hdmi 2.1 ports and the AMD FreeSync standard, on the other hand, are the tools to meet the needs of even the most demanding gamers, while the Solar Cell Remote, available for Oled and QD-MiniLed models, is a remote control with an integrated solar panel that enables autonomous battery charging, eliminating the need for disposable batteries.