Sony unveils new flat TVs, aims to boost share

Electronics conglomerate Sony Corp unveiled eight new flat-screen televisions on Thursday in a product push it hopes will help it secure a leading 35 per cent of the domestic market in the key month of December.

Sony, which counts Matsushita Electric Industrial Co and Sharp Corp among its chief rivals in liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma display (PDP) televisions, also expressed confidence that its TV division would recover.

"I'm certain there will be no problem with the profitability of our TVs this year," said Makoto Kogure, who oversees Sony's TV operations, which posted an 8.5 billion yen ($77.72 million) operating loss in the latest quarter ended June 30.

Kogure's comments came at a briefing where Sony took the wraps off a new line-up of flat TVs, including two in its premium "Qualia" series, which will go on sale domestically in November, and six "Wega" models that will hit stores in Japan next month.

The new TVs will be launched globally later this year and into 2005, Sony said.