By Kim Yoo-chul
LG Electronics has fired its latest salvo at Samsung Electronics in the ongoing battle for supremacy in 3D TV, saying its rival’s in-house technology is being phased out.
Samsung opened an era of 3D TV by aggressively promoting its battery-powered technology. LG was late in the emerging market, but its film-based system has seen a meteoric rise in market share because it is cheaper.
Samsung is promoting its Web-connected ``smart TVs,’’ while LG is aiming to further push 3D TV this year, although a lack of content remains the biggest issue.
``LG is in a fight with Samsung over the standardization of global 3D technology. But we are quite confident as more television majors have joined the film-based camp,’’ LG’s TV chief Kwon Hee-won said Thursday.
``Leading Chinese and Taiwanese TV producers are already on our side. Japan’s Panasonic and Toshiba are newcomers for the LG-led 3D technology, which is very impressive,’’ he said while adding that Sony is also considering using it for the top-tier TV maker’s upcoming lineup.
Sony Korea spokeswoman Hong Ji-eun declined to comment, while representatives from Panasonic and Toshiba were not available to discuss the issue.
With an upbeat tone, Kwon stressed that Samsung’s battery-powered 3D technology is being phased out and that it will remain the only TV maker to use that system in the global market.
Kwon is the top confidant of LG Electronics Chief Executive Koo Bon-joon. LG is happy about Panasonic’s sudden change to its film-based 3D technolgy.
Panasonic was one of the first companies to embrace and champion battery-powered 3D technology. One of the biggest drawbacks it has been cost since the glasses viewers need to wear are expensive.
``LG is aiming to sell 20 percent more 3D televisions in 2012 from a year earlier, enough to make it the world’s top 3D TV maker with a global market share of 25 percent,’’ Kwon said.
In addition, it is planning to sell around 35 million flat-screen TVs including LCD and plasma models by the end of this year while putting more focus on such emerging economies as the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and former Soviet bloc.
``We are negative about the outlook for televisions in Europe and it will be difficult for LG Electronics to see growth there,’’ he said.
``The upcoming Summer Olympics in London will help boost the anemic demand for 3D TVs and that’s a good sign.’’
As for OLED TVs, which are regarded as the next-generation sets that will eventually replace LCDs, currently the industry’s mainstream, Kwon said: ``Price really matters. We will try our best to offer quality OLED TV at reasonable prices. But more time is needed for wider market demand.’’