TV Shipments Gone Crazy
Last year, global TV shipments rose 4% to almost 200 million units, worth over £50bn, and growth will accelerate to reach 280 million units, worth £80bn, by 2012, according to a new consumer electronics industry report from Understanding & Solutions.
The global TV boom is being powered by our desire for flat panel TVs, which are rapidly replacing CRT sets, plus growth in emerging markets, which are also trending away from CRT to flat panels. Emerging markets accounted for over 50% of global TV shipments in 2007 and will rise to more than 65% by 2012.
LCD is rapidly growing to become the dominant display technology for television, and accounted for 40% of shipments in 2007 and 64% of market value. By 2012, LCD will account for over 80% of the market.
Strategic supply of LCD panels has become a critical competitive issue, with huge concentrations of volume under the control of major producers, including manufacturing joint ventures between TV brand leaders Samsung-Sony and LG-Philips.
Following significant price decline in 2006, the rising cost of raw materials and strong demand for LCD in TVs and laptop computers meant prices were relatively stable in 2007. TV manufacturers are also having to add cost with new features like digital tuners and high definition connectivity (HDMI), while at the same time introducing fire retardant and recyclable materials.
Bigger is better for most, too. The flat panel trend is fuelling consumer appetite for larger TV screens worldwide, not just for the living room but in bedrooms, playrooms and other locations around the home. For example, shipments of TVs with screens larger than 37 inches in Europe have risen from just 4% of total in 2004 to 23% in 2007, and are set to rise to over 40% by 2012, according to the report.
Average prices have been moving up as consumers opt for larger screens. Average selling prices in the UK rose 5% in 2007, for example. The larger screen trend is in turn driving rollout of High Definition TV and will also boost demand for a new generation of Blu-ray high definition video.
Over the next four years, TV market growth will be strengthened by major sporting events, with purchase spikes occurring around the Olympics, the Football World Cup and the UEFA championships. These events are likely to offset near-term economic uncertainties. Flat panel TV is a must for the modern home, and global sports events normally trigger high acquisition rates, especially as all of these upcoming events will be broadcast in High Definition. Time to get the chequebook out …
