SANTA CLARA, CA – Global TV shipments were soft in the first quarter of 2011, as the worldwide TV supply chain digested excess inventory. Growth, however, was still up 1% year-over-year, says DisplaySearch.

In the second quarter, TV shipment growth turned negative, declining 1% year-over-year, and falling more than 6% year-over-year in developed regions, which more than offset 3% growth in emerging markets.

Softer price declines and inventory pressure at retail due to lackluster consumer demand continue to put pressure on TV brands, the firm says.

LCD TV shipments worldwide grew at least 20% each quarter in 2010, but so far have only risen 9% year-over-year in the first quarter and 6% year-over-year in the second. The slowing growth has impacted both developed and emerging markets, with LCD TV units falling 5% and rising 19%, respectively, both well below the rate of growth a year earlier.

The main inhibitor to faster LCD TV price erosion, something that has a strong positive impact on consumer demand in the highly elastic TV market, has been the transition from CCFL to LED and slower component pricing declines. LED share increased from 18% of LCD TV shipments in the second quarter of 2010 to more than 43% in the same period in 2011, but still carries a 74% average premium across all sizes, though this is down from a 120%+ premium a year ago. Critical LED backlight cost breakthroughs have been slow to materialize, says DisplaySearch.

Plasma TV shipments showed surging growth in 2010, increasing a remarkable 30% year-over-year after negative growth in 2009. The boost in growth had much to do with market pricing advantages against LCD for similar sizes and consumers who continued to focus on price. LCD TV prices started to narrow the gap this year, and the premium for a 42" class CCFL LCD narrowed from 13% in the second quarter last year to less than 1% in the same period this year over plasma, which is having an impact. Plasma TV shipments fell 6% in this year’s second quarter after double-digit growth throughout 2010.

By region, China was still No. 1 by a small margin over North America, each representing about 17% of global TV shipments. China had stronger growth, rising 10% year-over-year compared to a 6% decline in North America. The Asia Pacific region grew to No. 3 for the first time, surpassing Western Europe, where retail inventory remains a problem. Despite concerns about weak demand following the Great Japan Earthquake, shipments of TVs in Japan surged 40% as consumers replaced older TVs with newer digital tuner equipped models, ahead of the July 24 analog broadcast cutoff.

As TV brands and retailers continue to push for the transition to LED backlights in LCD TVs, as a result of both premium prices and better energy consumption, the growth in shipment share continues to rise, reaching 43% in the second quarter. 98% of LED-backlit LCD TV shipments were edge-lit models because of slimmer form factor, lower power consumption and lower cost. Japan and Western Europe have already surpassed 50% of LCD TV shipments as LED and China is nearly at 50%. Most other regions, including North America, have around 20-35% of LCD TV shipments as LED.

3D rose from 4% of shipments in first quarter to almost 9% in the second. The growth in share signifies that manufacturers have greatly expanded the number of 3D-capable models and reduced the premium associated with the technology, giving consumers more choice, says DisplaySearch. There have also been a wider range of new sizes, down to 32", and in the case of LCD, lower frame rate models with 3D available. DisplaySearch estimates that about a quarter of 3D TV shipments use passive 3D technology, and the remainder use active shutter glass technology.

Samsung’s global flat panel TV revenue share was up slightly in the second quarter to 22.6%, a substantial lead over No. 2 LGE. Samsung was the No. 1 brand on a revenue basis in almost every region, with the exception of Japan and China, where domestic brands dominate, even surpassing LGE in Asia Pacific markets. Samsung was also No. 1 in LCD revenues and No. 2 in both plasma and CRT TV revenues. Samsung also regained the No. 1 LCD TV unit share position in the second quarter from Vizio for the first time in over a year.

LGE was the No. 2 brand worldwide at 14.4%, nearly unchanged from the previous quarter. In terms of revenues, LGE was No. 3 in LCD TV and plasma TV, but led in CRT TV with more than double the revenue share of any other brand. Sony remained No. 3 in global flat panel TV revenues during the second quarter, with a small increase in share. Sharp and Panasonic rounded out the top 5, trading share positions again compared to last quarter, mainly through the addition of Sanyo to Panasonic’s global TV business.

Samsung was the No. 1 global 3D TV brand overall, accounting for all technologies, with 35% of revenues. Within the 3D LCD TV category, Samsung overtook Sony for the top revenue share at 35%, while Panasonic reclaimed the 3D plasma TV revenue share lead at 48%.

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