(CNN) — Now that we carry personal devices with high-resolution 4K displays in our pockets, airplane seatback screens can seem a bit disappointing.
Even if you opted for the most expensive seats on the plane, the built-in screen in the cabin is likely to be of poorer quality than the screen on your iPhone.
That’s where airline seat maker Collins Aerospace and in-flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics come in. The two companies recently joined forces to reimagine the future of television and movie viewing on airplanes, through a sleek concept called MAYA.
MAYA, which stands for “Most Advanced Yet Achievable”, is an ergonomic business class seat that comes equipped with a 45-inch ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition Astrova Curve OLED display.
The screen could offer passengers a cinematic visual experience in the air. Credit: Collins Aerospace/Panasonic Avionics.
The screen syncs with passengers’ personal devices, offering an impressive headphone-free audio system. It all adds up to what Andrew Masson, vice president of strategy and product management at Panasonic Avionics, called the “most immersive passenger experience.”
Collins and Panasonic’s concept was one of the most talked-about innovations on display last week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, a major annual aviation trade show.
According to Masson, the concept was well received by industry experts at AIX.
“Many saw it as a big step forward in premium travel and was aligned with their needs to innovate the passenger experience,” he told CNN Travel.
like in the cinema
The screen is about three times larger than typical business class offerings. Credit: Collins Aerospace/Panasonic Avionics.
Not only is MAYA’s curved screen three times larger than classic business class seating options, but Panasonic also envisions the seat offering an ultra-wide CinemaScope screen, a screen format more 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 designed for movies. Passengers will also be able to use the screen to order food, view maps and connect to their own 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 it’s a pretty intense feature.
But for those who save their favorite movies for up-close viewing, MAYA will definitely have appeal.
When asked about the potential for the super-high-tech display to quickly become obsolete in today’s rapidly changing technology-driven world, Masson suggests the display is “upgradable over time” and built on “a technological path.” sustainable”.
“With such an integral role within the suite, we don’t see any risk of obsolescence,” he says.
For now, MAYA is a product concept, and specifications, production processes and timelines are yet to be defined and developed.
Masson and his team, however, are confident in the future of the concept.
“We showed MAYA to many airlines at AIX and their feedback was very positive,” he says.
