In the Past and in the Future, Sharp Continues to Lead the World in Television with AQUOS
November 21, 2024
Various home appliances, such as washing machines and refrigerators, have made people’s lives more convenient and enriched. One of them is TVs.
Since its invention in the early 20th century, about 100 years ago, placed at the center of the living room, it brings the family together to enjoy programs or watch movies with friends as a part of our daily lives.
From black-and-white TVs to color TVs, and now to smart TVs, the history of TVs has been a series of remarkable evolutions. Sharp has been deeply involved in this journey since its inception.
So, how did the history of TVs begin? Let’s take a look back. The TV was completed through various technological advancements worldwide. In Japan, in 1926, Associate Professor Kenjiro Takayanagi of Hamamatsu Industrial High School (now Shizuoka University Faculty of Engineering) succeeded in experimenting with a cathode-ray tube TV. In 1953, Sharp began the first mass production of TVs in Japan.
Japan’s first commercially produced TV set, the TV3-14T was priced at 175,000JPY at that time. Given that the starting salary for a government employee with a high school diploma was 5,400JPY, this was equivalent to about 32 months’ worth of salary.
When television first appeared, street televisions became a social phenomenon in Japan. People gathered in front of TVs set up on street corners to enjoy the broadcasts.
A model created to recreate the scenes of that time for the museum.
Subsequently, with technological innovations such as colorization and the development of flat screens, it became common for households to have at least one television, and it was not unusual for families to have a TV in the bedroom as well.
On January 1, 2001, as the 21st century began, Sharp debuted the AQUOS LCD color TV, as the “Home TV of the 21st Century.” This model featured an exterior designed by internationally renowned furniture designer Toshiyuki Kita, emphasizing not only the high-tech image of LCD technology but also incorporating a human touch with its soft, curved design. This made it a new standard for the century, seamlessly fitting into homes.
The widespread adoption of TVs in the early 21st century has progressed along with the expansion of LCD panel production capacity. Sharp started construction of the Kameyama plant in Mie Prefecture, Japan, to manufacture LCD panels. Sharp’s LCD panels have been adopted not only by itself but also by many other television manufacturers, fulfilling a role not just as a television manufacturer but also as a supplier of panels. Following, Sharp built the 10th generation LCD plant (Sakai plant) in Sakai City, Osaka, in 2009.
While promoting its LCD panel manufacturing business, in order to meet the diverse needs of customers Sharp has been selecting optimal devices according to the features of each TV products, rather than insisting on vertical integration and in-house devices. As a result, today the AQUOS brand is delivered in a wide range of products, including OLED and mini LED models.
for Japan AQUOS QD-OLED, GS1 Line
for Japan AQUOS XLED,GP1 Line
Recently, on August 21, the Sakai plant operated by Sakai Display Products (SDP) ended its role in producing large-size LCD panels. However, it remains unchanged that the television business is an important part of Sharp’s existing brand business, and Sharp will continue its development to create featured TVs to meet the expectations of its customers worldwide.
As you can see, Sharp boasts a long history of producing televisions from 1953 and has significantly contributed to its development. Striving towards its 100 years anniversary and on, Sharp and its TV AQUOS continues its journey with its customers to deliver the joy and excitement of television to households worldwide.
<Related web site>
TVs AQUOS Global Website| Sharp Global
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