Panasonic launches premium TV range with in-built Fire TV capability

Panasonic has launched a new range of its premium 4K OLED TVs with one addition it's hoping will soon become vital - the inclusion of Fire TV.

The range was launched on August 1 and has been accompanied by a wide marketing campaign trumpeting its arrival.

The Panasonic premium range with Fire TV built-in delivers a hub for smart home management. The devices feature a smart home dashboard, offering users an intuitive and integrated experience, where they can easily oversee and manage their smart home using Alexa, Ring and other compatible smart home devices. The premium TV range is the first from Panasonic to feature far-field voice control with Alexa, giving customers the ability to launch apps, play music, search fortitles, and control their smart home, all without reaching for the remote.

Ben Watson, Panasonic NZ's Product Manager said in a statement from Panasonic the focus was on elevating the user experience.

“The Panasonic premium range with Fire TV built-in brings a whole new level of innovation to the home. Panasonic has been renowned for delivering brilliant picture quality with studio accuracy, with a Panasonic lab in Hollywood working hand in hand with the major production houses. Now we elevate the user experience even higher with endless content, apps and smart connectivity. It's so much more than just a TV.”

"It is also taking that a step further and demonstrating how your TV can become a hub for smart home management,” adds Patrick Walker, Amazon Devices Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand. “We’re excited to see the might of Fire TV and the technical precision of Panasonic come together to set a new standard for excellence, with the help of Alexa.”

The premium TV range is the first from Panasonic to feature far-field voice control with Alexa, giving customers the ability to launch apps, play music, search for titles, and control their smart home, all without reaching for the remote. Furthermore, the Z95A, Z93A, Z85A and W95A are compatible with Apple Home and AirPlay, meaning users can control their TV using Siri and effortlessly stream movies, music, games and photos, right from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

While the sets don't come cheap - ranging upto to $9,500 for the premium 77 inch range, the company's hoping the idea you don't have to search for content through various different providers will be the big pull for consumers already struggling with choice. Add to that the smart technology capability of being able to get in-house Alexa devices and the remote control to search out shows or films via actors and proffer them up almost immediately, and it's easy to understand why both sides are heralding the new partnership and innovation.

Rich in the latest audiovisual technology, the premium range from Panasonic with Fire TV built-in delivers Panasonic’s highest ever colour accuracy, contrast and pin-sharp clarity. The new Z95A,Z93A, Z85A, W95A TVs represent the combination of a brand-new chipset and bright panel, the HCX Pro AI Processor MK II, with the Master OLED Ultimate panel (or Master OLED Pro Cinema 1 size for the Z93A), with Panasonic’s technical accuracy made possible by Japanese knowhow and engineering, merged with the colour-tuning skills of Stefan Sonnenfeld. Stefan Sonnenfeld, Founder and CEO of Company 3, is a trusted collaborator of some of the world’s best filmmakers. Sonnenfeld is among a handful of leading artists who have championed the power of colour grading to tell stories and communicate emotion.

Fire TV will also scan your most-watched shows to build a content profile of what you're likely to watch and then present recommendations as well. The Z95A will offer both picture quality and an ease of usability for those looking to boost their TV viewing experience and for whom searching around for shows and content is nothing more than a continual hassle.

To find out more about the range, head to Panasonic New Zealand's website.