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Pioneer declared they were planning to introduce more 1,080p models in 50 and 60
inches screen sizes, in addition to their 768p panels, due to the lower incremental
cost for 1080p on those sizes.
Although the company has previously mentioned their plans to scale back plasma
production (after acquiring NEC) the company now stated their intention to increase
plasma display output by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
According to TWICE the company also stated that “because of cost and efficiency we
shut down some of the older lines we used to produce plasma and are now reworking
them for future production of the larger screen sizes and 1,080p,” Meyhoefer said,
adding, “We would like to double our capacity [from 1.2 million units per year] in the
next couple of years.”
And according to a report in daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun, Pioneer plans to spend
more than $178 million to build in Japan a new plasma panel production line that
would help increase capacity by up to 40 percent. Construction is expected to begin
in March.
CES 2007
Pioneer introduced
technology at the show that
was described to be the most
advanced plasma highdefinition
television, to
become available summer of
2007. The panel has richer
colors, deeper shades of
black, better contrast than
competing plasma panels,
liquid crystal display panels,
and even better than SED,
according to Pioneer.
"We have to find our
own balance and not
simply follow the
competition," Katsunobu
Shioda, general
manager of Pioneer's
home entertainment
business group, told
Reuters at CES. Shioda
added that the new
panel may “cost more
than its rivals' products,
but will deliver better
picture quality and
performance”.
Prices and sizes would
be known in May.
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