Samsung posts record TV sales in North America
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Visitors admire Samsung SUHD television sets at the Rockefeller Center in New York. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Lee Min-hyung
Sales of Samsung television sets hit a monthly high of $1 billion (1.16 trillion won) in North America last month, the company said Sunday.
Samsung Electronics said it now held the largest market share in flat screen TV sales in the U.S. and Canada. The company has 35.1 percent share of the U.S. market and 38.4 percent of the Canadian market, according to data from market researcher NPD.
In particular, Samsung said its ultra-high-definition (UHD) TV sets made up more than half of its North American market share in the third quarter.
The electronics giant posted $100 million in TV sales in North America in 2004, which climbed to $500 million in 2007.
“The record sales of $1 billion clearly show that Samsung TV has established a strong foothold as the most trusted television maker in the North American market,” said Lee Yoon, senior vice president of Samsung’s visual display business division, in a statement.
“We expect our televisions, including the super ultra-high-definition (SUHD) smart televisions, to gain more traction at the end of this year.”
The SUHD televisions, launched this year, use high-dynamic-range (HDR) technology.
Samsung said the SUHD smart televisions use ultra-nano-crystal materials, which give more vivid and sharp images.
After launching the SUHD televisions this year, the company has been pushing to expand its presence in the high-end TV market in North America, offering various hands-on experiences at major retail stores.
Samsung has set up about 600 special UHD television experience zones, called “Samsung Entertainment Experience,” at Best Buy retail stores in the U.S.
The electronics giant also said it has extended its partnership with more than 2,600 Walmart stores to take a leading position in the premium UHD TV market.
In October, Samsung’s 65-inch SUHD television received the highest rating for its excellence in resolution, sound quality and performance, according to the U.S.-based consumer magazine Consumer Reports.
The company’s high-definition television (HDTV) model also ranked highest in consumer satisfaction this year, according to a report by market information firm J.D. Power. The U.S.-based firm measured levels of satisfaction by consumers who had bought an HDTV over the past year.