Sony unveils 84 inch TV with four times HD

Retailing at Dhs99,999, the cutting-edge TV is clearly not a mass market product, and will also be offered in a deluxe 'Royal Package', which includes a high-end audio system for an additional Dhs79,999. The cost of the full system will be just shy of Dhs180,000.

As of Friday, the mammoth television will be on display at Jumbo Electronics in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates before going on sale November 18. Anyone wishing to pre-order will be offered additional items in a limited edition bundle, the details of which are undisclosed at this time.

"For Sony, this is not just another product we are selling, we honestly believe this is the culmination of all the audio and video technologies that Sony has ever developed," Mathew Mathai, General Manager of Sony Gulf, explained to invited media. "This showcases technology and the future of television like never before."

Vishesh Bhatia, CEO of Jumbo Electronics, is eyeing sales of around 120-150 units over a year, within the UAE, but is optimistic of high demand locally, and in the wider GCC market.

"Given the price it's clearly targeted to a limited audience," he told the press at the exclusive launch in the Armani Ballroom, at the foot of the Burj Khalifa.

AMEinfo asked Bhatia about a potential lack of television content that is catered for such an advanced product.

"There is always a lag. Like when we had HD, we didn't have all of the content ready at launch. The content will chase this product, clearly, and if you have an HD broadcast then the technology within the television will upscale it to an HD 4K experience - so you can still benefit."

Incorporating '4K X-Reality PRO', a high quality picture engine, the television is capable of displaying movies, photographs or games in crisp 4K resolution, and the processor will display picture quality that exceeds Full High Definition at 3840 x 1080.

Before the Olympics and World Cup there was a spike in demand for large screens, according to Bhatia, who is confident of meeting and surpassing sales targets.

"We are going to be careful how we market this, with very personalised marketing - there's not going to be a mass ad," he explained. "There's a large appetite [in the region] for large screens and people want to view it. So you've got locals and expats who've made good out here, so there is a demand for this."

The Bravia TV will be showcased next week in Saudi Arabia, followed by the rest of the Middle East as part of a global launch. Hiroyasu Sugiyama, Managing Director of Sony Middle East and Africa, was also present to clarify that the new 84inch Bravia will retail at a similar price across the region.