EXCLUSIVE: LG Australia is set to launch two new LED TVs and new a wireless flat panel TV, that will see them go head to head with Sony and Samsung in what is shaping up to be a second half battle for market share in the flat panel TV market.
In recent weeks LG has steadily increased market share in the LCD market and in week 26 according to GFK data, they pushed Sony into third spot with 15% market share. Sony had 14% and Samsung 40%.
The two new LG, LED TV’s, which include a 42 and 47 inch model, will go on sale next month for less than $3,900. These models will be followed by a thin wireless TV which will compete head on with Sony’s ZX Series wireless TV according to LG Product Marketing Manager Warren Kim.
“We believe that our new LED TV’s and our new wireless TV offering can and will, help us increase our market share. During the next few months we will be concentrating on both these new categories” said Kim.
LG’s new TruMotion, 200Hz LH90, LED series display models will be available in 42 and 47 inch models. They deliver 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, THX support, and the ability to play DivX files via a USB port.
The Australian models we believe will include an EPG.
LG globally hopes to sell 5 million LED televisions in 2010. The new LED TVs are an updated version of the current LCD TV which feature cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) as the lighting source.
The new models are full backlight models which deliver significant picture improvement.
The LED incarnation will provide a smaller TV, as well as better picture due to greater contrast and colour said LG.
LG believes that the benefits of LED TVs will result in the technology taking over substantial market share within the next few years. In addition, the TVs will be much cheaper to make, becoming almost equal in cost to the CCFL counterparts in 2011.
Mark Leathan the Head of Marketing, CE at Samsung Electronics Australia said “We welcome LG into the LED market. The more players there are the more the category will grow. We are confident that Samsung will continue to grow our market share. We have had an excellent first half and we have new models coming in the second half along with some very interesting content technology developments”.
