Digital Home Thoughts: C|NET: "Sony Unprepared For Flat-Panel TV Demand"

"Sony, the world's largest consumer-electronics group, is having trouble meeting soaring demand for flat-panel televisions as its assembly lines did not gear up quickly enough, a senior executive said. "We are having trouble meeting demand in flat TVs," Chris Beering, president of Sony Europe, told Reuters on Friday, adding that the assembly lines were working flat out. "I do not think there is overcapacity in assembly." There was no problem in the supply of the panels. The bottlenecks at the Japanese firm's own plants come at an awkward time ahead of the Christmas shopping season, when 30 cents in every dollar spent by consumers on electronics goes on televisions, and much of that to the new flat TVs."

I'm somewhat surprised by the popularity of Flat-panel TVs. My bet was the technology wouldn't mature for a long time to come. Apparently I was wrong. Personally, I've taken a wait and see approach as "new" TV technologies mature and standards emerge. Last year I purchased a 27" Sony Wega Trinitron set to hold me over until the next upgrade cycle appears. Frankly the decline of entertainment quality has diminished my desire for TVs altogether, but that's for another discussion. :roll: