Menlo Park, CA–The first major battle between LCD and PDP (plasma display panels) in the large-format flat panel displays (FPDs) wars is being fought on the 30- to 39-inch battleground, and LCDs are gaining ground rapidly. From a level of seven percent during the second half of 2002, LCDs have grown dramatically to account for nearly 34 percent of this size category in the third quarter of 2003, according to the monthly Reseller Tracking Service, a survey of 50 key North American retailers and resellers conducted by Pacific Media Associates (PMA), the Menlo Park market research firm that tracks the Worldwide and Americas large-screen display markets.
“Such a rapid change in any category is significant,” said Rosemary Abowd, who directs flat panel displays research for Pacific Media Associates,” and it demonstrates the strength that can be expected from LCDs as the technology improves to overcome some of its original shortcomings regarding the quality of video viewed on the display. Other key factors playing a part are the rapid increase in the number of brands and models being offered and the declining price premium as compared with similar PDP-technology models.”
LCD-centric manufacturers have been saying for some time that they expect to dominate the sub-40-inch size range, and if their penetration continues to grow at the rates experienced during the last four quarters, their expectations will be fulfilled. In the 40- to 49-inch and larger size ranges there will be bloodier battles, as the preponderance of PDPs fall into these size ranges and their prices are already low. So far LCDs have made little penetration, showing only 0.7 percent of the 40- to 49-inch total in North America in the third quarter, according to the same Reseller Tracking Service findings from PMA.
According to PMA’s president, William Coggshall, “the LCD and PDP camps are so focused on their own technologies that they–and manufacturers product planning and marketing decision-makers–often forget that both technologies perform essentially the same functions and satisfy the same large-screen viewing experience for prospective buyers. To accurately quantify the large-format FPD market, it is vital that the market research methodology include BOTH technologies, and BOTH consumer and professional buyers. PMA has proven this with their top-rated research on front projectors, and have taken the same approach to the FPD market.”
For more information, contact Pacific Media Associates at 650.561.9020 (www.pacificmediaassociates.com).