LCD HDTV forecast from HD Beat
Aside from the HD-DVD / Blu-Ray wars and the DTV legislation, the only stories I'm getting tired of reading are on the LCD TV industry. Why? The forecasts are different depending on who you ask. Sure, I don't expect them to be identical, but they're all over the place. One day we hear LCD demand is huge and that major players are investing tons of moolah in new production facilities. The next day we hear there is an anticipated glut due to dropping demand.
Today, we swing back to the other side as iSuppli raised their forecast for the market. The expected compound annual growth rate in LCD sales is up to 47.2% through 2009. So what the heck gives? I have an Economics degree with a statistics background, but I'm not even going to use that; let me give you my predictions. You can provide yours or dispute mine in the comments.
LCD televisions will continue to sell like mad.
Each year's LCD TV sales will beat the prior year's by over 50% through 2008 due to increased production investment in 2005 and 2006.
Prices will continue to drop like rain in a monsoon.
By 2007, non-electronics stores such as Wal-Mart and Target will sell more LCD TVs than tradional electronics retailers.
By 2009, at least 40% of all U.S. households will own at least one LCD TV set and 10% will own more than one.
High-def DVDs and LCD sales will create demand for a portable high-def player with a non-LCD screen by 2007.
Demand for LCDs will wane and begin to drop by 2009 in favor of newer display technologies like OLED and SED, which will become affordable.
All of the industry forecasters will need new jobs by 2008 due to the blogosphere.
