Panasonic has extended the warranty period of its premium OLED TVs in a number of European countries to five years, in an effort to reinforce the belief in the quality of its products.
In the EU, all consumer electronics products are covered by a minimum two-year warranty, as demanded by EU regulations. However, companies have the freedom to extend this warranty period in either a full or limited form as part of an extra enticement.
The Japanese brand has decided to do just that, Flatpanels HD reported. Panasonic OLED televisions including its flagship MZ2000, bought from authorised retailers in Austria and Germany are now covered by an extended five-year warranty. Meanwhile, the company’s OLED and LCD TVs are now covered by the same lengthy warranty in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The company said the warranties are applicable to all TVs purchased on or after April 1, 2023.
In addition to those countries, Panasonic is also offering the same five-year warranty to U.K. consumers who have purchased one of its OLED or LCD TVs. However, in this case it’s only a promotional thing, covering TVs bought between June 19 and December 31, 2023 only.
The extended warranties are likely to provide some reassurance to those who’re still worried about the prospect of OLED Burn-In, which is when the display retains a static image even after it has been switched off. But although this was once a concern, LG Display, the company that makes the vast majority of OLED TV panels, has created a number of software-based measures to prevent it from happening.
Modern OLED televisions now possess the ability to detect static images such as logos and adjust their luminance to prevent image retention. There’s also a pixel refresher technology that runs when the TV is switched off after more than four hours of use. This compensates for pixel degradation by scanning and refreshing them. In addition, this can be performed manually by users if they detect any signs of burn-in.
It’s for this reason that LG Electronics also offers an extended warranty in some countries of up to five years, applicable to premium models such as the G2, G3, Z2, Z3 and M3.
According to Panasonic, its standard warranty terms apply throughout the duration of its extended 60 month coverage period. Consumers are advised to ask their local retailer or authorised Panasonic dealer for information on the exact details of what’s covered.
