LED-Backlit LCD TV's Penetration to Top 45% in 2011 in China: TRi

Taipei, Jan. 11, 2011 (CENS)--The penetration of light-emitting diode (LED)-backlit LCD TVs in the TV market in China is forecast to reach 45% in 2011, compared to 18% of 2010, according to Taiwan-based market-research firm Topology Research Institute (TRi).

Some 19 million LED-backlit LCD TVs are expected to be sold in China in 2011, the research firm said.

According to TRi, Samsung of South Korea led to push LED-backlit LCD TVs in China in 2009 and sold about one million units, with sales of such TVs boomed in 2010 thanks to falling prices, reaching about six million units (an 18% penetration).

Local brands, including Haisen, Skyworth, have outperformed Samsung in China now to become the leading LED TV brands. In October 2010, about 50% of the models pushed by Haisen and Skyworth were LED-backlit models. Another example is that more than 80 of Skyworth's TV models were selected by the Chinese government to be listed in the subsidy program for home appliances sold in rural areas in China, in which 42 models are LED-backlit products.

The subsidy program for home appliance sold in rural areas is part of China's national policy to stimulate consumer-product demand in rural areas in China as well as promote industry development. The Chinese government selects good-quality, reasonably-prized products and offer a 13% direct cash subsidy to buyers of such selected items in rural areas.

Currently, LED TVs are still more expensive than cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) counterparts, TRi said, but the prices of upstream driver ICs are expected to drop by 20% to 30% in 2011to further stimulate demand for such products in China.