Portland, Ore. – The growth rate of plasma TV sales during the
third quarter of 2010 outstripped the growth rate of large-screen LCD TV for
the second quarter in row, according to a study just released by Quixel
Research.
Q3
2010 USA Large Area Display Report (LAD) showed unit sales for the plasma TV
segment were up 28 percent from Q2 2010 to Q3 2010 and up 15 percent from Q3
2009 to Q3 2010.
The plasma TV volume growth, specifically HD 720 plasma TV, kept
the overall LAD market from declining, ending the quarter with flat results of
3.6 million units.
The overall LAD market increased 25 percent from Q3 2009 to Q3
2010, Quixel found.
“Hopefully it is clear by now that the HD 720p segment is not
dead yet for larger sized TVs” said Tamaryn Pratt, Quixel Research’s principal.
“In Q3, HD 720p unit volume for both 42 inch and 50 inch Plasma TV was up 27
percent and 65 percent, respectively.
The 40-inch-plus LCD TV segment took a backseat to plasma TV in
the third quarter due to top-branded plasma models being offered at
significantly lower price points.
“In this recession, consumers care more about keeping money in
their wallets than having a higher spec’d product,” Pratt added.
Plasma TV revenue also grew both quarter to quarter and year to year.
Plasma TV increases were not enough to offset decline in other
areas, however, and overall LAD revenues fell 6 percent to $3.6 billion in Q3
2010 from Q2 2010.
Year to date, the overall LAD category is down 6 percent from
2009 numbers, Quixel found.
Volume for the 40-inch-plus LCD TV segment was down 10 percent
from Q2 2010 to Q3 2010, but on a brighter note, the LCD TV segment posted a 16
percent increase in units from Q3 2009 to Q3 2010.
LCD TV volume in the 60-inch-plus segments grew 12 percent from
Q2 2010 to Q3 2010 in units and 15 percent in revenue, topping $213 million in
Q3.
Quixel Research’s USA Large Area Display Report is currently
available for purchase. The report tracks and analyzes the quarterly results
for the 40-inch-plus LCD, plasma and microdisplay rear-projection categories.
