PANASONIC HAS HIGH HOPES FOR PLASMA 3D TV SETS

Japan’s Panasonic Corp. is predicting that by the time its 2012-2013 fiscal year ends, 70 percent of its plasma TV sets will be 3D capable. In an interview with the Associated Press, Panasonic President Fumio Ohtsbo said, “3D TVs are becoming massively popular, not just in the U.S. but also in other regions. … There’s no reason to be pessimistic about the TV business outlook.” However, the wire service observed that Panasonic’s plasma displays will have to compete with most of its rivals’ LCD sets, which are cheaper to produce and which already have hit retail stores from Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG. But Panasonic maintains that plasma displays are ideal for processing 3D images. And Riddhi Patel, director of TV systems research at research firm iSuppli, told the A.P.: “What will convince the consumer is how they see the quality and the difference in the store environment and how much of marketing and educational efforts the brands put into communicating their value.”