Samsung has strengthened its grip on the global TV market, its revenues increasing 6% in 2012 to give it a 27.7% share. That's more than the combined sales of Panasonic, Sharp and Sony, each of which saw further significant dropss last year.
The TV market as a whole was down 6% on 2011 levels, with growth in emerging territories such as Latin America and Asia Pacific failing to compensate for massive falls in some mature markets. Sales revenues in Japan were down 68%, and those in Western Europe down 15%, with only Eastern Europe showing major growth of 17% as digital switchovers were rolled out.
China is the world's largest TV market, with sales of nearly 52m TVs last year, and Chinese manufacturers are now looking overseas to further increase their sales. They now account for more that 20% of global flat panel TV revenues.
But while Samsung's revenues share was up 6% year on year, and second-place LG increased by 4%, the Japanese 'big three' fared less well: Sony's share fell 34%, Panasonic's 26%, and Sharp's 22%.
Click here for an in-depth look at the shape of the global TV market
Written by Andrew Everard
