On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

In the run up to his involvement in the Future of Entertainment Summit (FES2012), Rob Salter, Category Director of Entertainment, Tesco, talks to Futuresource about the role of the retailer, digital content and FES2012.

What is the one challenge in the marketplace that is currently pulling your focus?

The most immediate issue is the double digit market decline and a weak release slate, combined with a drive for product and service innovation for the long term future.

How will the role of the retailer continue to evolve as we move forward?

It will undoubtedly be more about connected services and less about straight retailing of packaged goods.

The Wall Street Journal reports Google will tighten control on Android OS-- providing a number of mobile vendors with early access to the latest Android builds and Nexus branding.

This should result in the launch of a number of Nexus-branded smartphones later his year, all carrying Android 5.0 (code-named Jelly Bean).

Google already sells Galaxy Nexus smartphones (running Android 4.0) on the Google Play online store. The WSJ suggests Google will expand retail operations further, selling Nexus phones from multiple vendors on the online and "potentially through some retailers."

Current Android partners include Motorola, Samsung, Sony, HTC and Asus. The WSJ says Asus is also working on a co-branded Nexus tablet with Google.

The approach should reduce Android OS fragmentation, since the main vendors will be selling a flagship Android handset running the same version of the OS.

The Android market incredibly fragmented-- according to developer OpenSignalMaps, Android 2.3 is the dominant Android version (55.4% share) among 61389 OSM app users. Android 2.2 follows (20.5%) with other, mostly older versions. Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich) only has 8.5% share since its November 2011 launch.

Go Google Shifts Tack on Android (WSJ.com)

Go The Many Faces of a Little Green Robot (OpenSignalMaps)

Bang & Olufsen launches the BeoPlay brand with the V1, a side-lit LED HDTV available in 32- and 40-inch sizes.

It has a number of interesting features such as a front-built light sensor that dynamically adjust image contrast depending on the light in the viewing environment and a slot fitting an Apple TV2 inside the connection panel on the back.

Built-in 5.1 audio (supposedly "liberating the viewing experience from the wall" by limiting wires) features Class D ICEpower amplifiers.

Connections include x5 HDMI inputs and a USB port for playing media from external sources. Display refresh rate is 120Hz.

The V1 comes in black or white, and the company offers 5 different fabric sleeves (in gray, green, yellow, pink and black) allowing users to change the look of the TV.

It ships with the Beo4 remote and a floor stand.

Go BeoPlay V1

DisplaySearch reports 2012 TV shipments will decline by -11% Y-o-Y in W. Europe, offsetting growth in emerging markets-- with the result WW TV shipments will remain flat this year.

However the analyst predicts LCD TVs will at least see some growth (7% Y-o-Y) in 2012 with shipments reaching 220m, the result of capturing more market share from the declining CRT and plasma segments.

LCD TVs should make 88.5% of global TV shipments (up from 82.5% in 2011) before reaching 90% in 2013. In comparison plasma will account for 5.3% of 2012 shipments following a peak of 7.4% in 2010.

OLED will debut this year in large sizes, but DisplaySearch shipments will only reach around 50K units, if not less. Meanwhile following its shaky start 3DTV is growing in popularity, with shipment penetration in W. Europe to exceed 25% in 2012.

When it comes to TV sizes, bigger is the preference-- 2012 average TV shipped size will reach almost 35", up from less than 30" in 2008.

Go DisplaySearch Quarterly Advanced Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report