American Love Affair with TVs Grows More Intense, Says IDC

FRAMINGHAM, MA .- U.S. consumer interest in flat panel televisions has exploded in the past year while demand for bulkier TV technologies such as rear projection and CRT continues to shrink. For the foreseeable future, the retail and consumer living room landscape will consist primarily of LCD and plasma technologies. More than 60% of respondents to a recent IDC survey indicated that, regardless of price, they believed either plasma or LCD was the best technology for screens of 42 inches or larger.


“Half of our respondents want to experience this newfangled technology called ’HD’ and they’re willing to replace their CRTs in droves to do so,” said Eric Haruki, research director, TV Markets & Technologies. “More than 35% of respondents want to upgrade their existing TV size – again very likely tied to upgrading from smaller CRTs – while 30% now believe that the time and price is right to make the jump.”

Highlights from the survey include:
* For future TV purchases, LCD technology is heavily preferred over Plasma by the respondent base, 73% to 20%, respectively
* A full third of the respondents plan to buy a 40-49 inch TV for their next set, indicating continued interest in larger TV sizes
* Consumers would rather buy a smaller 1080p TV rather than a larger 720p TV at the same price

Another factor driving the adoption of flat panel TVs is the additive TV market, with people installing TVs in places they might not have considered before. The slim form factor of flat panel TVs permits wall-mounting possibilities in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, garage – almost anywhere that a power outlet and a video signal can be accessed.

The IDC study, IDC’s 2007 Consumer TV Survey, Part 1: Demographics and Current TV Preferences (Doc #209546), is the first of two TV survey studies conducted by IDC. Part 1 offers insight into current U.S. TV ownership, with data split by a number of respondent demographics (age, household income level, and gender). This study also provides a variety of cross-tab analyses — whether a particular income group favored a certain TV type, where consumers, in different geographic segments of our country, shopped for their TVs, and why. To purchase these documents, call IDC Sales at 508-988-7988 or email sales@idc.com.

Learn more about IDC’s view on the future of the worldwide TV market during 2008 International CES. IDC, along with DigitalLife, is hosting three consecutive breakfast briefing events featuring more than 25 consumer experts at Wynn Las Vegas on January 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2008. These events are complimentary for consumer device and component vendors, product management and marketing professionals, content and service providers, financial analysts and media. For more information, contact Caroline Dangson at cdangson@idc.com.

About IDC
IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 900 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 90 countries worldwide. For more than 43 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com


For more information, please contact:
Eric Haruki
eharuki@idc.com
858-715-1491

Caroline Dangson
cdangson@idc.com
508-935-4330