Plasma panel sales rise; HD share accounts for 79 percent

Plasma panel shipments rose to a record 2.8 million units in the third quarter — a 17 percent quarter-over-quarter and 47 percent year-over-year increase, according to the latest statistics from DisplaySearch.

In its recently released "Quarterly PDP Module and TV Shipment and Forecast Report," DisplaySearch found that plasma panel revenues also earned a record high $2.02 billion in third quarter, marking the first time plasma revenues exceeded $2 billion.

Despite the record, growth for the quarter was significantly slower than any other quarter to date with year-over-year growth over the past 12 quarters ranging between 73 percent and 170 percent, the report said.

Assuming plasma panel suppliers hit their fourth quarter targets, 2006 panel shipments will rise 49 percent year-over-year to 10.7 million units, which is less than half the growth of previous years.

HDTV continued to drive plasma panel shipments with the HD share rising from 73 percent in the second quarter to 79 percent in the third on 28 percent growth. The HD share is expected to reach 86 percent in the fourth quarter on 23 percent growth, according to DisplaySearch.

Shipments of 1080p panels also surged in the third quarter, rising 295 percent to 30,000 shipments and a 1.1 percent share. This quarter, 1080p panels are expected to rise 56 percent to 47,000 and a 1.5 percent share.

For more information, visit: www.displaysearch.com.