Prices for liquid crystal display (LCD) panels used in televisions will increase in 2010,
contributing to overall revenue growth in the LCD industry.
The average price of LCD panels for televisions will rise from $250.40 in 2009 to $281.80 in 2010,
according to Sweta Dash, senior director, LCD Research, for iSuppli. However, the 2010 average
price will still be lower that the 2008 average price of $363.80.
Panel prices will increase in large part because consumers will purchase large size LCD-TVs that
are equipped with larger and higher priced LCD panels.
Strong TV demand and higher panel prices will result in global revenue for large-sized LCD panels
used in televisions increasing 40% to $49.2 billion.
Manufacturers will also improved profitability next year. Overall, the industry bounced back to a
10% profit margin in the third quarter of 2009 after successive quarters of negative margins.
Profit margins will continue to improve. For instance, profitability for 32-inch panels is now
expected to continue to rise throughout 2010, reaching 25% in the fourth quarter.
"Revenue growth and profitability in the global LCD-TV panel market in 2010 will be driven by
rising demand, the shift to larger-sized displays, the accelerating sales, higher-value panels and
increased manufacturing efficiency," says Dash.
With profitability levels high, savvy buyers will be pushing for price concessions in
negotiations.
Q What is the best way to clean my LCD TV screen? I have a 37-inch model with a matte screen
surface.
A It is easy to scratch or damage the screen if you use the wrong cleaning solutions or a cloth
that has any abrasive properties. Even some paper towels have fibers that could scratch your
screen.
For this reason I strongly recommend all TV owners make a small investment in a proper cleaning
kit. You can use it to clean your computer monitors as well.
These kits contain a spray bottle of solution and a cleaning cloth, both guaranteed to be safe for
the screen.
The best kits include a microfiber cloth which is highly absorbent, picks up dust easily, and of
course, will not scratch the screen.
As much as it pains me to recommend any Monster Cable product, the Monster Cable kit model TV
CLNKIT is the best value I know of.v
It lists for $19.99 and includes a generously-sized bottle of cleaning solution and a microfiber
cloth of excellent quality. At under $20 for the kit, it is fully price competitive with equally
functional products. It's a very good product and a very good buy.
As for why it pains me to recommend a Monster Cable product, this company is largely responsible
for establishing the silliness of high-priced audio cables and speaker wire, one of the biggest
scams on the face of the Earth.
