11.17.2009 — For the first time since the fourth quarter of 2008, Samsung is ranked No. 1 in the LCD TV market, according to iSuppli.

Samsung shipped 1.3 million LCDs in the United States in the third quarter of 2009 (July-Sept.) for a 16.8 percent share of the market.

Samsung holds a 1.1 percentage point lead over Vizio, which sold 1.2 million LCDs for a 15.7 percent share of the market. Vizio was the top brand for the first two quarters of 2009.

“Samsung is leading the LCD-TV industry’s adoption of LED backlighting technology,” says iSuppli principal analyst of TV systems Riddhi Patel. “The company has been marketing these sets intensely, attracting the interest of U.S. consumers.

“Consumers like LED-backlit LCD-TVs because of their ultra-thin form factors. With Samsung cutting the prices of these sets aggressively, they now are becoming increasingly affordable for a larger number of U.S. consumers.”

Overall, 7.9 million LCDs shipped in the quarter, up 8.3 percent from 7.3 million in the second quarter. According to iSuppli, Vizio remains the cumulative leader in LCD shipments for 2009.

 LED-backlit TVs made up 3.7 percent of total LCD shipments in the U.S., according to iSuppli, which is up from 2.1 percent in the second quarter. Samsung began selling a 55-inch LED LCD in October for $2,650, while Vizio added 19- ($349.99) and 23-inch ($399.99) LED LCDs.

Patel adds, “This low price point and minimal gap with CCFL sets represents a critical price threshold for LED-backlit sets, making them more acceptable to U.S. consumers.”

 By Steve Crowe

http://www.cepro.com/article/samsung_tops_vizio_as_lcd_tv_leader_in_q3_2009/K15

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