Vizio, which rose to the top ranks in TV sales, is aiming to give Apple a run for its money with the launch of a new tablet and smartphone at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Vizio’s first phone will be called the Via Phone and will be equipped with a 4-inch screen, a 5MP camera plus a front-facing camera for video calls. It will run on Android. A larger version of the phone is the Via Tablet with an 8-inch screen, WiFi, front camera and 3 speakers. It will also run on Android, with access to apps on Android Market, said The Wall Street Journal. Both devices will have HDMI ports to connect to a TV.
Vizio said it plans to follow the same strategy that propelled it from a lowly newcomer to the U.S. TV market in 2002 to the top U.S. TV supplier (a position it shares with Samsung). It’s strategy has been to deliver quality TVs at bargain prices.
Analyst Richard Doherty of Envisioneering Group told the Wall Street Journal that Vizio will be a market disrupter. Vizio’s plans are “going to cause some Excedrin popping,” as the brand enjoys a close relationship with key retailers and it has plenty of loyal TV set owners.
The Via phone and tablet will be able to access Netflix and they will function as remote controls for other CE products including Vizio TVs.
Vizio is also expected to drop a bombshell on the TV market at CES, where it may launch new 3D TVs at an eye-popping price of less than $300.
As far as tablets, the market will soon overpopulate as up to 80 tablets are expected to be on view at CES. Tablet sales are forecast to more than triple to nearly 61 million units in 2011, up from 18 million units in 2010, as per iSuppli. An entrant such as Vizio, could quickly drive down tablet prices.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Photo: Vizio Via tablet via The Wall Street Journal
