CES 2013: Panasonic Announces iOS-Compatible Smart Viera Plasma HDTV Lineup

Panasonic yesterday announced a new line of Smart Viera plasma HDTVs at CES. The company's 2013 lineup ranges from 42 to 65 inches and includes 16 models in five separate series of TVs. The TVs are compatible with iOS devices that let users share content between their iPhones or iPads and their TVs.

Swipe & Share 2.0 – a  connectivity enhancement that transforms the TV into a hub for streaming and sharing photo and video content seamlessly with Smartphone and Tablet devices.  Through Panasonic's proprietary VIERA Connect platform, users can transfer personal photos and videos from their Android or iOS devices directly to the large screen with a simple swipe of the finger and transfer them back to their smart devices the same way.  Swipe & Share also enables sharing of user-generated photos and videos that are on the large screen with other Android or iOS devices. (2013 VIERA ZT60, VT60, and ST60 Series)

The features resemble Apple TV and AirPlay, but NBC notes that Panasonic's TV allows users to share an image to the TV, edit it using an option Electronic Touch Pen accessory, and swipe it back to their iOS device.

Panasonic's lineup starts with the full HD 3D ZT60 with what Panasonic calls a "Beyond the Reference" level of picture quality, then moves to the lower-end VT60 and ST60 series and ends with the non-3D S60 and X60 series. There doesn't seem to be pricing information as of yet, but the line is planned to launch in February 2013.