SEA TV industry to exceed $4.5 billion

LOWERING cost of the latest technologically advanced video display products have been driving increasing consumer spending in Southeast Asia’s (SEA) television sector, which in the first 11 months last year totaled nearly $4 billion—a 14-percent growth versus the same period last year, reported leading global market research company GFK Asia.

According to GFK retail tracking, LCD and LED reign as the most sought after TV technologies across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, registering a considerable 27percent hike in overall sales revenue across the region this year.

“LCD and LED TVS have become more attractive due to their falling prices,” said Gerard Tan, regional account director for Digital Technology at GFK Asia.

“Our reports showed that these segments continue to experience price erosion, with average prices for this year reflecting nearly 20-percent drop from 2010. This has resulted in greater affordability and pushed up consumer demand in the region,” he added.

When it comes to adopting the latest TV technology, the Philippines markets are the least advanced among all the Southeast Asian countries.

“Unlike the developed market of Singapore where the industry has already fully phased out sales of CRT TVS, other emerging markets have yet to do so, which means there are still plenty of growth potential for manufacturers,” Tan said.

“For instance, Indonesia is now the fastest growing market for TV in the region; with 146 percent more units of LCD and 1,102 percent of LED TVS sold over last year. These two combined segments contribute 39 percent in value sales to the entire TV market there. As such, retailers in emerging countries are today allocating more space within their shops for flat screens,” he added.

Meanwhile, while performance of the overall TV market has stabilized in Singapore, LED TVS are increasingly widespread. Quantity of LED TVS sold tripled over last year and is today selling on par with LCD TVS.

Another important trend emerging in the market in the past year is the difference in screen size preferences. Although 32- inch TVS remain the most popular category across the region, countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam are seeing escalating demand for 32-inch and below TV sets while more affluent markets like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are seeing increasing demand for larger screen sizes above 42 inches.