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Global TV shipments up 6% year-over-year to 53 million units
Open wide -- it's time for your latest dose of DisplaySearch numbers! The latest figures from the research firm have found that global TV shipments are up (imagine that, right?) 6% year-over-year and 11% from Q2 to Q3 2008. In fact, over 53 million units were shipped, though it's hard to say how many are still collecting dust in warehouses given the downturn in consumer spending. As predicted, the research points out that Q4 isn't likely to be nearly as rosy, but if we're sticking to last quarter, you should know that China had the largest quarterly gain at 15%, while North American shipments rose 12% year-over-year. We've spoon fed you the highlights, and per usual, we'll leave the nitty-gritty to the number crunchers in attendance.[Via Digital Home, image courtesy of ZoneaUnlimted]
Samsung warns that the handset market ain't what it used to be
Echoing sentiments 'round the globe is Samsung, who evidently understands that Q4 and beyond will be much tougher for handset makers than in quarters past. According to spokesman James Chung, "the actual global market growth on a unit basis could come short of [Samsung's] initial forecast for 9% growth (in 2008)," and "as for next year, it is possible that the market could post a single-digit or even negative growth." Of course, it's not like any other cellphone maker has it too much easier, but for folks wondering if Sammy had some kind of magical elixir for generating positive numbers, we hate to say it doesn't.[Via RCRWireless]
Many first-time HDTV buyers bypassing the HDTV service
Oh, brother. Not this again. Every year it seems that we get wind of a wonky report that explains just how ignorant many first-time HDTV buyers are to HD programming. And in many cases, we'd argue to no fault of their own. The most recent survey from the offices of Frank N. Magid Associates asserts that "among the 12% of US households who purchased a new high-definition television in the past year, 41% still need to arrange for high-definition programming service from a cable or satellite provider." Granted, some of those folks could be perfectly content with pulling in high-def via an OTA antenna (or hooking up a gaming console / Blu-ray player), but that's still a lot of cats and kittens neglecting that sweet, sweet pay-TV goodness. The survey also found that 43% of new HDTV owners "had not looked into HD services from any provider," and that 41% didn't feel that HD services were worth the cost. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: friends don't let friends own an HDTV without any HD content. It's just not right, people.
Deutsche Telekom shakes economic woes, reports "good" Q3
We can't recall the last time a mega-corp informed the public that it had a "good" quarter (as in, it literally described the quarter as "good" in its headline), but we can't help but chuckle at this one. Deutsche Telekom has done what few other companies have managed to do of late, and that's post an impressive Q3. Even in a "difficult market environment," net income was up €0.6 billion ($775 million) to €0.9 billion ($1.16 billion) compared to a year ago, and it managed to snag 670,000 new T-Mobile USA customers all the while. As with most other carriers these days, DT also found lots of income flowing in from data usage; total data revenue (excluding messaging) was up 28.3% to a whopping €639 million ($825 million). For number crunchers and optimists alike, tap the read link for more material you're sure to love.[Via mocoNews]
DirecTV gives recession the cold shoulder, sees increased profits in Q3
While many mega-corps are struggling just to make ends meet, DirecTV is basking in the glow of a rather awesome Q3. The satcaster proudly announced that it saw revenues increase by 15% to $4.98 billion, all while operating profit scooted up 16% to $658 million and net income shot up 14% to $363 million. As has been the trend of late, a fair chunk of its good fortunes came from subscribers opting for "premium" services, which is a fancy way of saying that customers are totally digging HDTV, HD DVRs and video-on-demand. Oh, and now that HD is live in Latin America, we actually wouldn't be surprised to see a fruitful Q4 just a few months from now. Recession? What recession?[Image courtesy of DayLife]
DisplaySearch reports rise in Q3 plasma shipments, but who's buying?
Generally speaking, a rise in flat-panel shipments is good news. But in these curious times, we're wondering if the customers are screaming for the suppliers to slam on the brakes before slapping another shipping label on an HDTV. DisplaySearch's latest look at plasma shipments shows a 37% rise year-over-year and an 18% increase quarter-over-quarter -- question is, who's buying? We've already learned that bulging inventories are leading to near-across the board price drops, and this economy isn't exactly fostering new waves of television purchasers. Whatever the case, Panasonic is holding down the top spot in Q3 2008 with a PDP market share of just under 40%, while Samsung SDI claims the silver with 29.4%. Here's hoping all these shipments lead to record low plasma prices in just a few Fridays.
Vizio bucks the trend with Q3 growth, positive expectations for Q4
In case it's not glaringly apparent to you: price matters. And it matters a lot. While most other HDTV manufacturers are sobbing at sales figures (or the lack thereof) right now, Vizio is grinning from ear-to-ear. The outfit's low-cost flat-panels have evidently struck a chord with bargain-minded consumers, as the privately-held company has confessed to having a profitable Q3. Of course, it won't be releasing actual numbers due to its private status, but according to business operations and marketing VP Jeff Schindler, the firm has "never had an unprofitable quarter." Furthermore, the company is expecting even more growth in Q4 as consumers look to get the most bang for their buck when buying new sets. Can't say we doubt its optimism.
DisplaySearch report takes long, hard look at flat-panel maturity
It's pretty obvious that flat-panel sales have the potential to slow (and that sets could get really, really cheap) in the current economic environment, but a new report from DisplaySearch asserts that the problem may be exacerbated by flat-panel maturity. According to David Barnes, DisplaySearch strategic analysis VP, the "concerns over contracting consumer demand over the near term may grab headlines today, but slower growth may be a long-term trend in the flat-panel market." In fact, it's expected that 4 out of 5 TVs in 2011 will use flat-panel technologies, meaning that this double-digit yearly growth we've grown accustomed to could be coming to an end. Of course, techs like OLED, SED (ahem) and holograms are just around the corner -- and be honest, who wouldn't trade in their KURO for a floating 1080p image with perfect contrast?[Via TWICE]
Kaleidescape reports three-year sales growth of 747%
For as ludicrous as we think the prices are on Kaleidescape's latest upscaling DVD players, the company is clearly doing something right. A recent release from the California-based outfit asserts that it achieved a three-year sales growth of 747% from 2004 to 2007 and ranks 415th on the 2008 Inc. 500 list of America's fastest-growing private companies. And we're not surprised. The company's kiosk was buzzing with prospective buyers at this year's CEDIA, and while only the affluent can afford to even sniff the wares this company is slinging, there's no denying the quality. Kudos, Kaleidescape -- but get some Blu-ray kit in the works, pronto!
BDA unsurprisingly bullish for holiday season
Given that Iron Man just crushed every other Blu-ray sales record set before it, not to mention the fact that sub-$200 BD decks are finally upon us, we can't say we're flabbergasted by the Blu-ray Disc Association's most recent comments. Victor Matsuda, Chairman of the BDA Global Promotions Committee, was recently quoted as saying that "[the BDA] has good reason to predict that this Q4 sales period will see the Blu-ray Disc revolution take hold in US mainstream markets and [that it] will witness strong sales performance in every other geographical region." Comically enough, he also stated that "the availability of affordable players is an important factor," which contrasts pretty starkly with comments made by the BDA just weeks ago. Not that we're complaining about lower prices or anything...[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of Photobucket]
MobiTV breaks the 4 million subscriber mark
MobiTV has been around for quite awhile, and although it has seen its fair share of ups and downs, today's a day for celebration in the offices that remain. After hitting the 3 million mark in February, the company is now claiming that its benefiting from some 4 million subscriptions. Charlie Nooney, MobiTV's CEO, was quoted as saying that the firm was "thrilled to be on the cusp of mass market acceptance for mobile entertainment in North America." We don't know if we'd go that far just yet, but here's a tip of the hat to you anyway.[Via RCRWireless, image courtesy of PDAsNews]
Blizzard planning Wrath launch in China "as soon as possible" after US
Mike Morhaime spoke up about World of Warcraft in Activision's earnings conference call last week (strange, since there was almost no sign of Blizzard at the Activision press conference during E3), and he spoke about Blizzard's plan for Wrath of the Lich King's release in China. In the past, there's been a signficant delay between releases in the US and Eastern companies (not that it's hurt the popularity there). And Blizzard says they want to close that delay, but it's up to the government over there to approve the content -- in the past, the government of China has asked for changes to be made to the game, and Blizzard says the release schedule is dependent on their approval.Morhaime also said that the game continues to grow -- they've seen big growth around marketing campaigns, the holiday season (when people buy the game for others), and the release of new content. And you don't have to be a WoW expert to see that they're going to hit a perfect storm of all three later this year. This could be the biggest winter the World of Warcraft has ever had.[via WorldofWar.net]
We're number three!
According to a survey from the Gartner group, Apple is again the third largest PC vendor in the United States. The company nosed out Acer for the second-quarter bronze. (Dell is number one, followed by HP in second place.) Apple shipped 1.4 million units last quarter, 38 percent more than the prior quarter. In the United States, PC shipments overall grew by just 4.2 percent. IDC research manager David Daoud credited Apple's competitors with the company's success, citing consumers' disappointment with the "lack of innovation" among other PC manufacturers. Also: Windows Vista. 'Nuff said. But that's just the U.S. Apple still lags worldwide, selling only 3.2 percent more units abroad than last quarter. Compare that to other manufacturers, who sold an average of 16 percent more units. Macs account for nearly 8 percent of internet-connected computers worldwide. [Via Infoworld.]
DFC predicts $57 billion gaming market in 2009, Wii to drive
The soothsayers at analyst group DFC Intelligence have revised their already rosy outlook for the game industry in 2009, predicting that the market, including consoles, PC and online games, could now reach a mind-blowing $57 billion by next year. DFC foresees that much of this growth will be driven by (surprise!) the Wii, a platform DFC's David Cole feels "has the chance to be one of the best selling systems of all-time." Looking further ahead, DFC backed off of its previous prediction that annual PS3 game sales would surpass those on the Wii by 2012, now stating that the pair will simply be equals. Still, with the lion's share of top selling titles for the Wii coming from Nintendo itself, fellow analyst Jeremy Miller adds that "for many third party publishers this means they will have much greater success on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, even if Wii sales continue to be strong." But what of the PC? Oh, there's love there as well, with gaming on the personal computer expected to reach an impressive $19 billion on its own by 2013, no doubt steered by online sales, which exceeded a staggering $7 billion in 2007. If DFC is on point with its prophecy, the future is so bright, we may just have to reach into the drawer for some shades.
New study shows higher resolution, interactive capabilities to drive future HDTV growth
For now, the HDTV market is doing just fine as-is. We've still got stragglers seeing the light on a daily basis, and the looming DTV transition is probably pushing sales somewhat as well. However, according to Calvin Hsieh, DisplaySearch's Director of Research, the market is set to peak between 2009 and 2011. In order to grow beyond then, he suggests that the sector will have to focus on "enhanced features for TVs, such as higher resolutions, expanded broadband infrastructure, internet connectivity, versatile applications and interactive capabilities to meet the needs of the connected digital home." Hard to argue with any of that, no?[Via The New York Times]
Flat-panel, DVD recorder sales surge in Japan as Olympics draw near
Although some analysts aren't attributing the heightened flat-panel sales in China to the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, Tokyo-based BCN most certainly is pointing the finger at said Games to explain a similar surge in Japan. Reportedly, overall flat-panel TV sales skyrocketed some 35.3% during the June 1st - 15th period from a year prior, with demand particularly high for 40-inch models. Additionally, DVD recorders saw an equally impressive 25.2% increase in sales, with just over half of those supporting Blu-ray. Maybe they're just trying to beat the impending taxation?[Image courtesy of HDTVUK]
Research firm expects flat-panel sales to spearhead 2008 electronics growth
2008 -- the year of the Beijing Olympics, a global increase in HD adoption and four years away from anything meaningful. According to UK-based Understanding & Solutions, flat-panel sales will be paramount in revenue growth in worldwide consumer electronics products. The analysis jives with pretty much everything else we've heard thus far, as LCD growth in developing nations will purportedly give a nice boost to the sector. TV manufacturers are expected to ship 128 million LCD and plasma sets in 2008, which would be up 38-percent from last year if John Bird's assumptions are accurate. It's also noted that these figures should remain in tact despite estimated slumps in US / UK flat-panel purchases, but alas, only time will tell if 2008 becomes a banner year for HDTV adoption.[Image courtesy of Dallas News]
NCsoft can outgrow profit loss, exec says
It's been tough times recently for NCsoft. Sales of their big-budget sci-fi MMO Tabula Rasa have been less than spectacular and their numbers for the first fiscal quarter of 2008 were disappointing, to say the least. In a recent report by GI.biz however, NCsoft CEO Geoff Heath expressed optimism about his company's prospects for the remainder of the year. Despite having no new titles in the cooker (Aion is still beyond the horizon at this point), Heath is of the belief that his company's portfolio is strong enough to simply grow their way back to profitability, saying, "This is a pretty robust business - if you get it right - you've only got to look at World of Warcraft."Far be it from us to doubt the sincerity of Heath's statements, but that's a heavier dose of optimism than we're accustomed to seeing from an executive. To be sure, NCsoft's portfolio of games is probably the most robust that exists within a single company, and if Lineage II continues growing as strongly in Korea as it as has been, his comments may very well come to fruition. One simply wonders if their aging stable of games is going to continue to see growth in a marketplace that grows more crowded by the day. To be put it nicely, we're less confident than Heath.
DISH Network opening customer service facility in Phoenix this June
Barely a month after we heard that DISH Network would be hiring 200 folks from the Tulsa, Oklahoma region to "accommodate customer growth," we've now learned that the satcaster is hiring even more folks in an attempt to further demonstrate its "commitment to providing the highest level of customer care." Reportedly, around 400 technical support representatives and 40 support staff -- all of which will be "required" to have at least two years of experience in a "customer-facing or technical support role" -- will be taking a job in Phoenix, Arizona. Oh, and don't worry -- these individuals will be on the clock soon enough; DISH plans on hiring this month, training in May and opening the center in June. Now would be a good time to beam that résumé in, yeah?
DISH Network hiring 200 in call center to handle growth
Just days after hearing that Verizon would be staffing its Syracuse call center with 335 new employees over the next few years, DISH Network is announcing that it too needs a few good men / women to "accommodate customer growth." Reportedly, the satellite provider is looking to hire 200 folks in its Tulsa, Oklahoma facility before June 1st of this year, primarily in the Technical Support division. Once the hires are made, the total workforce at the 78,500-square-foot center would amount to 650, but there's still room for a few more heads considering DISH's plans to "eventually employ about 1,000 people" in Tulsa.
