Panasonic adds LCD to Plasma in larger HDTV range

Panasonic manufacturer, Matsushita Electric Industrial, has announced plans to launch 37-inch Panasonic LCD HDTVs in Japan in September.

The company has previously produced only Plasma HDTVs in the 37-inch or larger range, although it does produce LCD sets in smaller sizes.

The move is in response to the growing popularity of LCD flat-screens over Plasma. Recent research from DisplaySearch reported a 54 percent increase in global LCD TV sales in the first quarter of 2007, while Plasma sales fell nine percent.

Plasma TVs once dominated the large-screen flat-TV market, providing a more natural picture at a lower price. They have been overtake by LCD screens as manufacturers developed larger and more efficient production lines able to produce LCD TVs at lower prices.

Despite this trend Matsushita emphasises that it has not changed its overall strategy and still plans to focus on Plasma in the larger-screen category.

Matsushita’s 37-inch full high-definition LCD TV will cost $2,508. Its launch in Japan will be followed with a release in overseas markets by the end of the year.

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