Samsung giving up LCD TVs for LEDs
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Electronics is significantly reducing the output of conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions in an attempt to shift its focus to more profitable sets using light-emitting diodes (LED) as the main backlight.
LED TVs are better in power consumption, picture quality and life span.
``We are significantly cutting the output of LCD TVs using the bulky cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) as the main backlight,’’ said Samsung spokesman Song Cheol-gyu.
While CCFL has dominated the market for many years, it is now considered old technology. More and more tech-savvy consumers are opting for LED TVs, Song said.
``But Samsung doesn’t have any immediate plans to completely halt the production of CCFL-powered LCD TVs in Korea and other countries as consumers in some countries still want them,’’ Song added.
The company, the world’s biggest manufacturer of flat-screen TVs, says it plans to sell at least 50 million, including LED-backlit and CCFL-powered LCD sets as well as plasma televisions, this year.
IHS iSuppli, a U.S.-based market research firm, said the number of consumers in the United States, who decided from the word go that they were going to opt for LED-backlit LCD televisions increased to 54 percent in the final quarter of last year, reflecting a sharp rise from the third quarter, when the figure stood at just 22 percent.
iSuppli also revealed that out of the 54 percent, all of them percent went on to make that planned purchase. Also, 81 percent of people who had planned to opt for older CCFL-based LCD sets ended up buying LED-backlit TVs.
``General consumers previously had no idea of the actual benefits of LED-backlit LCD TVs but this is quickly changing now,’’ said a Samsung technician requesting anonymity.
The electronics firm said earlier it will sell off its loss-making LCD TV arm in order to focus on the more lucrative world of OLED TVs.
``We will invest money earned from the sale of LED TVs into OLED TVs. Samsung will release more LED-backlit LCD TVs at affordable prices,’’ said another company official.