Plasma display panel shipments in the first quarter of the year fell on normal seasonal weakness to 3.5 million units, according to the latest DisplaySearch figures.
However, year-over-year, plasma display panel shipments were up 53 percent, the researcher said in its “Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report, LCD and Plasma TV Panel Shipments, Supply and Forecast Module” report.
According to DisplaySearch, several factors contributed to the strong year-over-year plasma display panel performance, including:
- Strong growth of 32in panels continued, rising from 11 percent to 15 percent of shipments during the quarter, as LCD supply remains tight and demand remains strong in developing markets for low-priced flat-panel TVs.
- Matsushita started shipping 46in 1080p panels for the first time.
- PDP still has a price advantage over LCD, with 42in HD PDP panels (including power supply and optical filter) $114 lower than comparable LCD pricing (including power supply) in March. The price difference will narrow by the end of the year, however.
- High-def 1080p PDP panels were nearly absent from the market in the first quarter of 2007 but now account for 11 percent of panel shipments.
For more information, visit Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report: LCD and Plasma TV Panel Shipments, Supply and Forecast.
