The movement of the flat-styled TV market shows an indication of price stabilization.

Recently, TV makers are shipping their new models for special demand from the Beijing Olympics. On the other hand, the prices of TVs are declining but there is a sign of stabilization. We would like to explore the market trend and the transition of TV prices using “BCN Ranking.”

The best-selling line of TVs are 32” to 37”. The 20” models are also in good demand.

First, we will look at the market trend and sales of flat-styled TVs, including LCD, Plasma and OLED models based on the display size. In April, the 30” class including 32” models had the highest sales. The sales share of the 30” class flat-styled TV was 40.1%.

The 20” class was also popular and took 29.7% share. The 20” class TVs were often bought for smaller rooms or flats and sales increased from March to April, which is the entry season of new TV models in Japan. Smaller classes, which are less than 10”, were mainly 1seg TVs.

As for larger sized TVs, the 40” class took 17.4% share, the 50” class took 2.5% share, and their total is about 20% sales share. However, the share of the 40” class may increase if people want to enjoy the Beijing Olympics with larger TVs.

“AQUOS” took top share in the 20” class.

From here, we will look at the best selling products of each display size using weekly sales data from May 5th to 10th. We will introduce the best sellers in the 20” and 30” class to readers. For the 20” class, SHARP’s products accounted for 4 of the top 10 sellers.

The best selling product was “LC-20EX3” by SHARP with 15.3% share, which shipped last summer. The estimated price by BCN was ¥70,400 on May 22nd. Image resolution is 1366 x 768, the luminance is 450kcd/m2, and dynamic contrast is 1200:1. The “LC-20EX3” has analogue terrestrial and digital terrestrial/BS/CS tuners. However it is not available for SHARP’s link function, the “AQUOS familink.”

In second place was also a SHARP product. “LC-20D30-B”, which is the black model of the “D30” series, had 10.5% sales share. Image resolution is 1366 x 768, the luminance is 450 kcd/m2, and dynamic contrast is 1500:1. The specs are mostly the same as “LC-20EX3” but the “LC-20D30-B” can use “AQUOS familink.” The estimated price was ¥84,900.

Many makers, except SHARP, made a good fight in the 30” class.

The 30” class is the most popular line in the TV market, and the best seller was “LC-32D30-B” by SHARP with 8.9% share. As we mentioned above, their “LC-20EX3” took double digits share in the 20” class line, but “LC-32D30-B” only took single digit shares. This shows the severe sales battle in the 30” class line.

The “LC-32D30-B” has 1366 x 768 image resolution, 450kcd/m2 luminance, and the dynamic contrast is 1500:1. It also has analogue terrestrial and digital terrestrial/BS/CS tuners and is available for “AQUOS familink.” In second place was “LC-37DS3-B” by SHARP with 6.6% sales share. Image resolution is 1920 x 1080, luminance is 450 kcd/m2, and dynamic contrast is 2000:1.

Fifth place was Panasonic’s “TH-37PX80” with 4.1% share. The only Plasma TV of this ranking. Image resolution is 1024 x 720 and the dynamic contrast is 15000:1.

Average price of 32” models started to increase. Is this a sign of price stabilization?

Lastly, we will look at the transition of the average price (excluding tax) from last July to this April. It has been said that “it costs ¥10,000 per 1” size”, but now the average price is about half of what it was three years before.

The price of 32”, 37” and 40”-42” lines gradually declined since last summer. Last yearend, the price of 32” class models was about ¥10,6000. However, the rate of decline has been slow. The average price of 32” class models in April was up ¥4,000 compared with January. This is due to makers releasing their new models this spring. However, the increase of the average price is rare even in this brief period of time. It is thought that flat-styled TV prices are going to decline because of several reasons such as the increase of oil prices. There is an indication of price stabilization in the 32” class.