Hitachi dials back plasma production, looks to buy from Panasonic
Hitachi is the latest manufacturer looking towards the door as the party at plasma's house is winding down, and the cost cutting isn't surprising in light of the company's steep losses on plasma TVs. Just to spare plasma's feelings, though, it has agreed to buy some panels from Panasonic (which looks to be last man standing at the dwindling party). It's hard to see the move as anything but inevitable -- as LCDs take over and OLEDs ramp up, Hitachi's 7.5-percent stake in the plasma market isn't the issue, it's the shrinking overall plasma market that's the problem (matched only by the thinning physical profiles). UltraThin, 1.5-inch thick plasmas or no, we wouldn't be surprised to see a complete exit from the plasma market in the foreseeable future.
