Global TV shipments have fallen for the second consecutive quarter

According to the latest quarterly global TV shipment and forecast report published by DisplaySearch, global TV shipments fell for the second consecutive quarter, down 8% from the same period last year. This decline started in the fourth quarter of 2011 and continued through to 2012, reflecting the continuing unfavorable economic environment and slower price cuts that have affected consumer demand.

Japan's demand was very unsatisfactory. In the second quarter of 2012, shipments fell by 77% from the same period last year to less than 1.4 million units. In developed markets, TV shipments fell by 23% year-on-year, while growth in emerging markets slowed to 3% in double-digits at the end of 2011. As a powerful engine for growth in emerging markets, China experienced a rebound in the first quarter of 2012 but rebounded in the second quarter, an increase of 6%. Demand in Eastern Europe continues to maintain double-digit growth, but shipments in other emerging markets have decreased compared to last year.

In the second quarter, global LCD TV shipments fell 2% from the previous year, but demand for 40′′ and larger screen LCD TVs remained strong, with shipments in the second quarter growing by more than 15% from the previous year. The high-end features of the LCD TV market have also improved, such as increased LED, high scanning frequency and 3D share. However, the shipment of plasma TVs fell for the sixth consecutive quarter, a drop of more than 20%.