Sharp plans to start selling its Galapagos tablet computer in the United States in the second half of this year, and is ironing out deals with major media and content providers, the head of the company's U.S. unit said on Wednesday at the 2011 International CES.
Bob Scaglione, Chief Marketing Officer of SEC, introduced the e-book reader/tablet terminal, GALAPAGOS and said that the service and devices will come to the US sometime this year.
Sharp's tablet is currently available in Japan and runs on a Linux operating system in Japan and comes in either 5.5 inch or 10.8 inch screen sizes, but these specifications and the product name may be changed for the U.S. market.
CEO & Chairman of the Board, Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), and Executive Managing Officer, Group General Manager, North & South America Group Sharp Corporation, Kozo Takahashi introduced attendees to Sharp?s two business visions: "Contribute to the world through environment- and health- conscious business, focusing on energy-saving and energy-creating products" and "Contribute to a ubiquitous society with one-of-a-kind LCDs."
With the world?s only 10th-generation LCD panels, which are highly competitive in the large-screen TV business and are manufactured at Sharp?s LCD plant at GREEN FRONT SAKAI, along with smartphones and ultra-slim multi-screen display systems, Sharp has shown that LCDs can be used in a wide range of products. The company is seeking ways to boost production at its SAKAI liquid-crystal display plant in Japan, which may fall below expectations after media reports that client Sony would boost panel orders from cheaper Asian rivals.
Following Mr. Takahashi, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America (SEMCA) President John Herrington introduced Sharp?s AV products business trends for North and South America. In the US market, he spoke of how there will be a growth in demand for large-screen LCD TVs, the fact that Sharp has the largest share of sales of LCD TVs 60-inches and above, and also introduced the new 70-inch AQUOS lineup that is set to hit the US market in May of this year.
Sharp aims to sell 15 million televisions in the year to March, up from 10 million the previous year.