Fans of Amazon’s Fire TV experience haven’t had a lot of options when it comes to buying TVs that don’t require an external streaming device in order to access Amazon’s streaming interface. But today, that changes in a big way with an announcement from Panasonic that its newest OLED TVs will have Fire TV built-in, making them the first OLED TVs to do so.
Initially, the global partnership between Panasonic and Amazon will focus on two OLED TV models, the Panasonic Z95A, which will be available in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, and the Panasonic Z93A, which will come in a 77-inch size. However, it’s expected that Panasonic will roll out additional Fire TV-based models in the future.
Neither Amazon nor Panasonic have confirmed if these OLED Fire TVs will be sold in the U.S. When Digital Trends asked Amazon representatives about it, we were told that Amazon and Panasonic are “excited to offer the Z95A and Z93A to customers around the world,” but that we’d have to wait for Panasonic to reveal specific countries and pricing “soon.” Panasonic pulled out of the U.S. TV market several years ago and has yet to reestablish itself with major American retailers.
The new OLED TVs will get the most recent version of the Fire TV interface, including Amazon’s new Ambient Experience, which lets the TV display useful information when you’re not actively watching TV.
Both the Z95A and Z93A support Dolby Vision IQ Precision Detail — an advancement in the Dolby Vision IQ ambient light-sensing technology — which aims to improve picture detail by adjusting the light levels in each area of the screen, without boosting the brightness to a point where the image looks washed-out. The Z95A also features Micro Lens Array (MLA) screen technology for enhanced brightness (Panasonic introduced MLA on its OLED TVs in 2023.)
They also feature Panasonic’s new HCX Pro AI Processor MK II, which supports a Dolby Vision Gaming-compatible native refresh rate of up to 144Hz, making these OLED TVs a good choice for gamers looking for ultra-smooth video.
In the sound department, Panasonic has once again turned to sister company, Technics, to do the tuning on its 360 Soundscape Pro sound system, which boasts multidirectional speakers and Dolby Atmos support for immersive 3D surround sound.
Far-field mics give you wake word access to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, and the TVs have a smart home dashboard that lets you see and control all of your devices. There’s also Apple AirPlay and Apple Home support for those who prefer to use Apple’s Siri.
Neither company has indicated how much these two Fire TV OLED models will cost or when they’ll be available.
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