Will HDTV Screens Get Smaller?

News
Will HDTV Screens Get Smaller?
New report says Japanese makers could focus on smaller sizes due to economic woes.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2008) -- Will America's love affair with the big-screen HDTV come to an end because of an economic downturn?

Some Japanese TV makers are betting the answer is yes, according to the Nikkei Business Daily.

The Japanese newspaper reports that Sharp and perhaps Sony will increase production of less expensive flat-screen sets between 26 and 40 inches.

The companies are concerned that consumers will be less likely to purchase a pricey larger-screen set if the economy continues to soften.

"We changed the strategy in July because of a plunge in North American sales of large-screen TVs," a Sharp official was quoted today by Nikkei.

Recent sales numbers do not indicate a lessening in demand for larger-screen sets in the United States. But TV makers may be seeing indications that demand will fall in the coming months.

If the Nikkei report is correct, it could create an opportunity for makers of large-screen rear-projection HDTVs, which are less expensive that large-screen flat-screen sets. Consumers who still want to go big may opt to buy the rear projection model due to price and availability.

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Swanni (Phillip Swann) is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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