Washington, D.C. (December 18, 2007) -- High-Definition TV has certainly had a big year, generating huge sales at retail and almost becoming a household staple in the United States.

However, as 2007 comes to a close, you can't say that every high-def company will be celebrating on New Year's Eve. The industry produced a number of prominent losers as well as winners during the year.

After our usual exhaustive research, TVPredictions.com has compiled our list for the year's top Winners & Losers in HDTV.

The list is based not just on how much revenue a company produced but whether it met its goals and promises.

So, here are our 2007 Winners & Losers for HDTV!

Winner
DIRECTV
The satcaster may not reach its goal of delivering 100 HDTV channels by year's end. But there's no question that DIRECTV's high-def expansion has made it the leader in the field, forcing its cable and telco competitors to start playing catch up.


Loser
Apple
Despite considerable hype, Apple's new Internet TV device, called Apple TV, has been a major flop, according to almost every objective account. The set-top, which connects to a widescreen HDTV, has sold less than 500,000 units since launching in the spring, according to press reports. By Apple standards, that's a drop in the bucket. But now the question is: When will Apple drop Apple TV?

Winner
Vizio
The maker of low-cost, flat-panel TVs stunned the industry this year when one research firm said the company led North America in LCD sales. While Vizio sales have not maintained the same pace since, the relatively small company is still one of the continent's leading sellers of flat-screen TVs.


Loser
Matsushita/Panasonic
The company made a big bet on Plasma and has since watched the category fall behind LCD in flat-screen sales. While Panasonic is still the leading seller of Plasma sets, the company is now contemplating expanding its LCD business to ensure future growth.

Winner
Verizon's FiOS TV
The telco has surprised some by signing up nearly one million subscribers. While FiOS is still struggling to deliver more HD, the service is giving cable operators a run for their money in some markets.

Loser
Cable TV Operators
Desperate to expand its Triple Play offering (phone, TV, Internet), cable TV operators have failed to keep pace with satcasters DIRECTV and EchoStar in delivering high-def channels. Therefore, in part, the cable services have lost subs this year -- and are getting more competition from Verizon and AT&T in some markets.

Click to read more Winners & Losers!

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Click TVPredictions.com to see today's Swanni Sez.

© TVPredictions.com
____________________________________________

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.

Click TVPredictions.com to read more news and features on TV technology.