South Korean flat-screen TV makers outstripped their Japanese rivals in terms of
global market share for the first time in the fourth quarter of last year, an
industry report showed Wednesday.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's
largest TV maker, and its local rival LG Electronics Inc. clinched a combined
market share of 34 percent in the global flat-screen TV market in the final
quarter of 2011, according to DisplaySearch, a market research firm.
In the cited period, the comparable figure for Japanese TV makers was 31
percent. On a quarterly basis, it marked the first time that global market
shares of Korean TV makers outstripped those of Japanese TV producers.
In terms of yearly performance, the market share of Japanese companies including
Sony Corp. came in at 35 percent in 2011, followed by Korean firms with 33
percent.
Market watchers said that the Korean TV makers will likely
show strong performances in the global market this year on the back of a line-up
of premium TVs.
Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are increasing
efforts to sell premium TVs like smart TVs this year, betting that consumer
demand for Internet-connected devices will increase.
Samsung aims to
sell around 50 million units of flat-screen TVs this year, about half of which
will be smart TVs. LG Electronics is seeking to raise the global market share of
its 3D televisions to more than 25 percent this year, which will make it the
world's top 3D TV maker.
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