The new business class seat design on the plane features a huge TV screen
(CNN) — Now that we carry personal devices with high-definition 4K displays in our pockets, screens in the backs of airplane seats can seem a little disappointing.
Even if you choose the most expensive seats on the plane, the built-in screen in the cabin will likely be of lower quality than the screen on your iPhone.
This is where aircraft seat manufacturer Collins Aerospace and in-flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics come to the rescue. The two companies recently joined forces to reimagine the future of in-flight TV and movie viewing with a sleek concept called MAYA.
MAYA, which stands for “Most Advanced Yet Achievable,” is an ergonomic business class seat featuring a 45-inch ultra-wide ultra-high-definition OLED Astrova Curve display.
The screen can offer passengers a cinematic visual experience in the air. Photo: Collins Aerospace/Panasonic Avionics.
The screen syncs with passengers’ personal devices, offering an impressive audio experience without headphones. It all adds up to what Andrew Masson, vice president of strategy and product management at Panasonic Avionics, calls “the most immersive passenger experience yet.”
Collins and Panasonic’s concept was one of the most talked about innovations unveiled last week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, a major annual aviation trade show.
According to Masson, the concept has been well received by AIX industry experts.
“Many saw this as a big step forward in premium travel that met their needs to upgrade the passenger experience,” he told CNN Travel.
like in the movies
The screen is about three times larger than typical business class offerings. Photo: Collins Aerospace/Panasonic Avionics.
Not only is MAYA’s curved screen three times larger than classic business class seat options, but Panasonic also suggests the seat will feature an ultra-wide CinemaScope screen, the screen format most commonly found in movie theaters.
With that in mind, Masson calls the screen the “cinematic centerpiece” of MAYA’s design, but emphasizes that the screen isn’t just for watching movies. Passengers will also be able to use the screen to order food, view maps and connect to their personal device.
Of course, some may be put off by the dominance of the screen in the suite – not everyone spends their flight watching movies, and this is a rather stressful function.
But for those who save their favorite movies to watch up close, MAYA will definitely appeal.
In response to the question that a super high-tech display could quickly become obsolete in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, Masson suggests that the display “can be updated over time” and is built on a “sustainable technology path.”
“With such an important role in the package, we don’t see any risk of obsolescence,” he says.
At this point, MAYA is a product concept, with specifications, manufacturing processes and timelines still to be defined and developed.
However, Masson and his team are confident in the future of this concept.
“We showed MAYA to many airlines at AIX and their feedback was very positive,” he says.