Market forces can make for
strange bedfellows, as shown by the LCD cross-purchasing deal struck between Samsung and LG. Although the two Korean companies do
battle in the LCD arena (and several others, too), they have agreed to purchase specific LCD panels from each other. Samsung will buy 37-inch panels from LG, and LG will return the favor by picking up 57-inch panels from Samsung. This is a distinct shift away from the
former Taiwanese
suppliers used by Samsung and LG for these sizes. Exact volumes and pricing have yet to be decided, but it's safe to assume that this deal is about a lot more than just national pride. We'll be curious to see if this marks the beginning of a three-way price stratification between panels from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daniel @ May 21st 2008 9:55PM
will anyone know who makes there tv anymore.
John Willaford @ May 21st 2008 10:43PM
makes sense. All the Japanese guys are buckling down.
Toshiba is buying Sharp Panels, Sharp buying circuits from Toshiba. Sony and Sharp are going build a new plant, Sony and Samsung will continue to operate S-LCD as well. Hitachi and Mitsubishi are also buying from Sharp, but none of them seem to know how to make decent use of them, thank god for sony and toshiba.