LCD TV Sales Booming

A lot more of the world is watching television through LCD displays, according to a new report from DisplaySearch.

The Austin, Texas-based research firm said that global shipments of LCD TVs reached 3.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2004, up 134 percent from the same quarter in 2003. For all of 2004, consumers worldwide purchased 8.8 million LCD TVs, up 123 percent over the previous year.

North America was the third-largest market, accounting for 26 percent of global LCD TV sales in 2004. The average LCD TV size was 20 inches in North America, compared with 22 inches to 23 inches in other regions.

Sharp was the leading brand worldwide in 2004, with a 22 percent share of the market, followed by Philips with 15 percent and Sony with 11 percent. Of the three, Sharp’s market share dipped slightly from 2003, while Philips and Sony saw strong growth. Sharp is also the leading brand in the United States, according to DisplaySearch.

Sales of LCD TVs of all sizes grew at least 52 percent in the fourth quarter compared with the year before. Models with screens sized 15 inches to 19 inches are now the best-sellers, compared with 20-inch and 21-inch models a year ago. LCD TVs with 26-inch and larger screens also gained ground to account for 36 percent of all LCD TVs sold during the quarter, DisplaySearch said.