In a surprise move, Pioneer has apparently decided to halt its KURO Plasma TV product line and will enter into an agreement with Sharp for future DVD and Blu-ray Disc Player development and production. For more information, check out the reports from Dow Jones and Reuters.
My Perspective: Although more specific details are forthcoming, this is certainly sad for the high-end Plasma Television market as Pioneer's KURO Plasma Televisions have been at the top of their class in features and performance. However, when taking total market penetration into consideration, Pioneer has been struggling this past year. Stay tuned for more specifics on the future of Pioneer's other product lines, which include a heavy presence in home and car audio.
Related Story: Panasonic To Lay Off 15,000 Worldwide (Audioholics).
Comments
When considering how the LCD displays have consistently become larger, competing then head-to-head, this should just about signal the end for plasma in consumer electronics.