Panasonic overvejer i øjeblikket at forlade plasma-tv-markedet allerede i marts 2014, ifølge Nikkei. Panasonic har allerede stoppet plasma-forskning og vil muligvis flytte fokus til OLED-TV inden længe.
Opdatering: Panasonic svarer på rapporterne. Se det fulde svar nederst.
Panasonic overvejer plasma-tv-stop i 2014
Den japanske nyhedspublikation Nikkei rapporterer, efter at have talt med en "unavngiven Panasonic-leder", at Panasonic overvejer at lukke sin sidste plasma-tv-fabrik i Amagasaki, Japan i marts 2014, som er slutningen på Panasonics regnskabsår.
Panasonic viste dette 4K OLED-TV frem på CES
Hvis rygtet er sandt, så vil Panasonic ikke lægge ud med et fuldt produktionsstop, men i stedet reducere produktionen gradvist i løbet af næste år, med målet om at udfase plasma-teknologien. Nikkei gentager også et tidligere rygte om, at Panasonic vil stoppe plasma-forskning og de antyder, at det allerede er sket. Nikkei tilføjer og siger, at Panasonic allerede har afskrevet værdien på produktionsudstyret på plasma-fabrikken.
- "We are considering a number of options regarding our TV business. But nothing has been decided yet," siger en Panasonic-talsmand til Reuters.
Panasonic lader stadig til at være engageret i LCD-skærme og Nikkei siger, at de vil fortsætte deres samarbejde med Sony, hvor de to japanske producenter har til formal at bringer OLED-TV på markedet i løbet af få år.
Panasonic svarer
"The content of the report regarding our Plasma Display Panel (PDP) business is not something announced by Panasonic.
In regard to the PDP business, Panasonic will continue to deliver value added products, proposing new ways for our customers to enjoy their TVs. This includes taking advantage of PDP features such as the touch pen function as well as the big screen and high picture quality. In addition, for non-TV use, we are expanding our Business to Business (B2B) opportunities for the PDP business with products such as the Interactive Plasma Display.
Regarding the growth strategy for the TV business, we are looking into a variety of options, but nothing has been decided at the moment.
Regarding new products for 2013, in follow up to our global announcement in January 2013 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the US, we are holding subsequent local product launch events worldwide. Panasonic has been enforcing global business, aiming to sell value added products with better design and high picture quality that meet the needs of our global customers.
There will be no change of service support for PDPs, and our dealers should have no concerns about continuing to sell Panasonic PDPs."
- Kilde: Nikkei & Reuters
