Sony takes top share position for flat panel TV shipments for India

The total TV market in India for 2009 was around 13.8M units, making it the third-largest country market for TVs.

Rick Nelson, Chief Editor -- EDN, September 6, 2010

Sony increased its unit share of flat panel TVs to 27.1% in Q2 2010 and took top share position in the Indian market, according to the newly published in the DisplaySearch Quarterly India TV Shipment Database. The total TV market in India for 2009 was around 13.8M units, making it the third-largest country market for TVs in the world, ahead of Japan and Brazil, and accounting for 37% of the Asia Pacific TV market. In Q2'10, the unit penetration of FPDs was 45% in Asia Pacific, the lowest of any region, according to the recent data published in the DisplaySearch Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report. In India, FPD unit penetration was only 18% of the total shipment of 3.7M units, as CRT TVs are still the primary TV technology.

"LCD TV sales in India are growing Y-O-Y at nearly 100%," noted Indrajit Ghosh, DisplaySearch's Director for India and South Asia. "In 2010, we expect LCD TV sales to exceed 3M units in India."

"The India TV market has great potential for flat panel TVs to grow in 2011 and beyond. Developed regions like Japan, US, and Europe will complete the transition to flat panel TVs by the end of 2011 or first half of 2012, when most analog broadcasting will be cut off," noted Hisakazu Torii, vice president of TV market research for DisplaySearch. "Although Samsung and LGE continue to be strong in emerging markets, Sony has approached the Indian flat panel TV market successfully with strong brand awareness and appropriate products for the Indian consumer."

There is strong competition among the three major brands in Indian flat panel TV market, which have a combined share of 70% or more of shipments. Samsung had top unit share in 2009, but dropped to number 2 with a 22.7% share. LGE had top unit share in Q1'10, but dropped to #3 with a 21.1% share.