With complaints aplenty arising from inadequate audio clarity and dynamics from flat-panel displays, it seems that the tide of partnerships between TV manufacturers and high-profile audio companies is set to continue. We’ve already seen LG partner with Harmon Kardon, and just this week we reported on the tying hands of LG with Meridian Audio on sound bar development.
Now we have Philips TV linking up with Bowers & Wilkins in a new multi-year exclusive partnership to co-create products to improve TV audio performance.  According to Philips, this new partnership will ‘combine the world-renowned technologies and expertise of the two companies and will uniquely be able to share the internal engineering resources that have allowed each to design and develop a long series of ground-breaking products.’
Both companies also believe that the partnership doubles down on the fact that Philips and B&W have traditions for developing their own bespoke technologies in-house, and therefore being able to oversee quality control at all stages of product development and production.
Commenting on the new partnership Martijn Smelt, Chief Marketing Officer for Philips TV in Europe said: ‘For far too long, as an industry, we have allowed sound quality to be the poor relation when considering TV performance. A challenge that has been further exaggerated by the outstanding quality of our OLED sets. So, I’m delighted that we have been able to partner with the World’s best audio company Bowers & Wilkins to ensure that in future our Philips High End TV sound will offer a uniquely premium experience’.
Richard Campbell, Chief Revenue Officer for Bowers and Wilkins said: ‘Our new partnership with Philips TV presents a fantastic opportunity to help redefine the parameters of sound quality & performance on a TV. The superb new Philips TVs will introduce our well-known audio performance to a new consumer audience who will be able to enjoy first-hand, the incredible experience only we can provide, ‘Sound by Bowers and Wilkins’.’
The partnership has been made more effective and efficient by the location of key engineering facilities for both companies in Europe. Philips TV maintains an Innovation Centre in Ghent Belgium while Bowers and Wilkins recently made a significant investment to expand and relocate its UK based research and development centre.
The first results of this new partnership will be unveiled at the IFA Show in Berlin at the end of August. Otherwise, so far, there is no further information on which products will include the B&W audio technologies.
Martin, a seasoned journalist and AV expert, has written for several notable print magazines. He’s served in key roles at Lucasfilm’s THX Division, NEC’s digital cinema division, and has even consulted for DreamWorks. Despite his illustrious career, Martin remains rooted in his passion for cinema and acting, with notable appearances in several Spielberg films, Doctor Who, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He currently resides in San Francisco.
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