Overall Plasma Shipments Declined in Q4

Market research firm DisplaySearch has released data showing that plasma panel shipments in the fourth quarter of '06 were down 4 percent from the third quarter and up just 3 percent from Q4 '05, despite a dramatic decline in prices. The firm attributes the rather meager growth rate to a loss of market share to LCD competitors.

However, plasma market leader Panasonic/Matsushita saw its panel shipments grow 27 percent in the quarter and Pioneer experienced a whopping 73 percent growth rate. The overall declines came at the expense of Korean companies like LG Electronics and Samsung, both of which registered a sizeable drop in shipments and market share.

It should be pointed out that Panasonic and Pioneer would be considered by most in the industry to be manufacturers of higher-quality plasma panels and displays than companies like LGE and Samsung. Thus I doubt it's coincidence that these two Japanese companies are faring better in the plasma market than their Korean rivals.