By Kim Yoo-chul
Korea Times Correspondent
MAJORCA, Spain ― Japan's Panasonic, a leading player in the next-generation Blu-ray format business, plans to expand the global storage devices market by boosting strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics.
``Now, the discussion is over. We will maintain a healthy relationship with Samsung Electronics for the next-generation computer storage market,'' Peter Weber, manager of Panasonic Corporate Communication Europe, said in an interview with The Korea Times, Sunday, on the sidelines of the IFA 2008 International Press Conference here.
``Panasonic doesn't care about the introducing timing of Blu-ray players. Time is very crucial to step up the marketing for better prospect of such devices,'' he said, adding his company is all set to inject money only for promotion.
The next-generation Blu-ray players will have disk drives and will be able to connect to the Internet, allowing users to download movie trailers or interact with other Blu-ray owners. Samsung Electronics is expected to release a new Blu-ray product to back up the potential business.
Asked about detailed strategies to boost its LCD TV business, the official said his company aims to catch up with a combined global share of flat-screen TVs including plasma and LCD sets to 30 percent over the next two or three years.
``We need more LCD panels for a bigger presence in the global LCD TV market, while escaping from the currently stalled 6-7 percent market share in the business globally,'' he said.
``Panasonic will increase its stake in the IPS Alpha joint venture with Hitachi and Canon from the current 45 percent to 60 percent level soon and we've engaged in talks with Canon to buy more stakes,'' he said.
On a question over a possibility to buy more panels from LG Display, the official said that depends on the market situations.
``We are in a transition period. Although the company begins to start producing panels by using the eighth-generation line in 2010, we will add an OEM business to meet a rising demand for the crystal display television sets,'' he said.
In plasma TVs the company, which controls one-third of the market, plans to strengthen such business as its optimized process will save more costs.
``It is interesting to see the strong pace of LG Electronics' 32-inch plasma TV sets though we are initially doubted its profitability. Anyhow, we are just starting for such sizes,'' according to the official.
The chief of Consumer Electronics Division from German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association has clarified that the company doesn't have any plans to increase its market share by joining the price-cut rally, concerning profitability.
``The massive price cut by the industry's leading players will not be helpful to all TV manufacturers. We will maintain flexibility. However, there won't be massive price cuts as long as it hurts the quality of our products.''