There could be a welcome drop in the price of LCD TVs later this year, with panel prices continuing to fall according to a new report, and the effect of the supply chain crisis appearing to wane.
Technology Analyst Sigmaintell Consulting (via DigiTimes (opens in new tab)) states that prices for LCD panels have dropped again in the past month, with the price of 32-inch to 55-inch monitors dropping another $2-4 per panel and the 65-inch and 75-inch models dropping $8-10 per unit. .
The news follows similar supply-side price drops for LCD panels in the previous two months, and the trend has been downward since late last year. We’ve already seen that some of the best TVs available today that use LCD panels have dropped in price in recent months (like the Samsung TV pictured above) – even the newer models wasted no time in dropping the official price.
Any LCD panels purchased to go straight to production would be shipped to stores as ready-made TVs in a few months, so these price drops could come in time to trigger an especially juicy wave of big discount TVs for consumers on Black Friday. and at Christmas.
Manufacturing of LCD display technology has become increasingly dominated by China, amid South Korean panel makers withdrawing from the market and moving towards OLED production.
Prolonged Covid lockdown restrictions in key Chinese tech manufacturing districts such as Wuhan have caused a large reduction in scheduled global panel supply, with global TV shipments forecast to fall to the lowest level since 2010, according to the company. market research tool.
The gradual reopening in recent weeks of major Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai from quarantines now looks set to help revive production.
Analysis: Dropping TV Prices Could Offer a Timely Christmas Gift
The potential drop in panel prices will be timely news for those struggling amid rising costs of living – many people will shun big expenses like a new TV, but if you need one, you need one. So we hope this means that anyone who buys will be able to find a good buy, regardless of budget.
UK data from Barclaycard last month showed a slowdown in non-essential spending, while US retail giant Best Buy cut its annual profit forecast in May due to lower demand for TVs and computers, highlighting the impact of the surge. 40-year inflation in people’s purchasing power. .
The price drops in the report are likely to affect the tag price of smaller and entry-level budget sets, which we hope will mean that those most affected by increases in inflation will benefit most from the discounts.
We should also note that many other factors will affect the final price of TVs in addition to the price of the panels – shipping costs, for example. But the lower cost of parts could mean prices won’t go up as much as they otherwise would, at least. Everything helps.
Don’t forget to check out our guides to the best TVs under $1,000 and the best TVs under £1,000 for the best affordable sets.