LG Electronics has launched its flagship Plasma Display Panel (PDP) into the South African market. The massive 182cm panel (71-inch diagonal) assigns LG Electronics (and those who have a TV room big enough) with the bragging rights to having the largest panel commercially available in SA.
The 71-inch PDP is just one of the attractions of LG`s 2005 product range, which is being showcased on LG`s `Take Note` roadshow, that will be calling on Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg during the month or March.
In bringing the 71-inch PDP to market, the product development team at LG Electronics overcame various technological difficulties to successfully implement full high-definition 1080p scanning on the 16:9 wide-screen panel. The industry had previously deemed that this technology was impossible to apply on `super-large` panels and instead created larger screens by joining four separate smaller panels together.
YJ Khang, managing director of LG Electronics South Africa, says: "This breakthrough raises the bar on the flat panel display industry, with LG pioneering the way forward for large, quality display media."
For the Middle East market, LG Electronics has added an interesting variant to the 71-inch PDP, by coating the panel, along with its accessories, in 24K gold. In Korea, the gold plated 71-inch panel sells at over R400 000 and Khang feels it`s just a matter of time before a high net-worth South African decides it`s time for an upgrade.
"Through the Take Note dealer roadshow, we are highlighting the possibilities that LG technology can offer to South African consumers who are looking to personalise every aspect of their houses."
Khang adds: "The 71-inch PDP Display will become the product by which LG is set to launch an aggressive marketing and order-based mass-production strategy in important regions such as North America, Middle East and CIS regions."
HB Lim, LG Electronics digital display product manager, says: "This panel forms a large part of LG`s design leadership strategy and demonstrates our commitment to creating ahead of the curve products. LG Electronics is reinforcing its market leadership in the two core areas of flat panel display, PDP TV and LCD TV."
With 30% in 2005 set as a launch pad target, LG Electronics is aiming for the number one spot in the PDP market by 2006 and number one position in the global LCD TV market by 2008.
With the widespread adoption of PDPs in both domestic and business applications, Lim adds that PDP will surely replace standard television in the not-so-distant future.
Lim explains that global sales projections from LG Electronics depict a positive outlook for PDPs, with the market estimated at 3.5 million units for 2005. North America and Europe are continuously increasing their demand, with emerging markets rapidly showing increasing sales figures, from a small base.
"In light of this, the global PDP TV market is likely to continue its upward spiral, expanding to 6.3 million units by 2005, 10 million units by 2006 and 12 million units by 2007."
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