Samsung tops flat, UHD TV sales

By Yoon Sung-won

Samsung Electronics clinched first place in both the global flat-screen and ultra high-definition (UHD) television markets in the first quarter of this year, consolidating its lead in the sector.

According to the U.S.-based global market research agency DisplaySearch, Friday, the electronics giant took up 29.6 percent of the world’s flat-screen television market in terms of sales between January and March, compared with 26.8 percent for all of 2013.

This is the highest market share in the company’s history.

LG Electronics was ranked second place with 12.7 percent, followed by Japan’s Sony with 6.8 percent, China’s HiSense Electric with 6.4 percent and Japan’s Sharp with 4.7 percent.

Samsung Electronics has maintained a solid lead in this sector for 33 consecutive quarters since 2006.

By region, Samsung’s market share in the flat-screen television sector was 35.6 percent in North America, 42.7 percent in Europe and 36.6 percent in Latin America, which are considered to be the key global markets.

In Latin America, its localized functions dubbed “soccer mode” and “soccer panel,” which targets soccer-loving consumers in the region, helped the company expand its market share, according to Samsung.

Samsung Electronics also emerged as the world's top manufacturer of UHD televisions on the back of an aggressive marketing strategy focused on curved UHD televisions.

The company accounted for 21.6 percent of the global UHD TV market in the same period, up from the 11.9 percent posted for all of 2013, the DisplaySearch data showed.

“The recent improvement in sales performance is attributable to the favorable market response over the curved UHD televisions we launched this year, as well as the expanded line-up of UHD TVs,” a Samsung Electronics official said.

Sony, which enjoyed 22.9 percent in this sector last year, saw its dominance nosedive to 9.8 percent amid its ongoing management crisis.

HiSense Electric took 16 percent over the period, while LG Electronics held 10.6 percent.

Samsung also topped the liquid crystal display, light-emitting diode, and plasma display panel televisions by holding market shares of 28.2 percent, 28.3 percent and 62 percent, respectively.