Global and regional digital leader LG Electronics celebrated the arrival of the world’s largest Plasma Display Panel (PDP) TV today by unveiling a limited edition, gold-plated version of the unique product. The new LG Electronics PDP TV measures 71 inches.
Attending today’s launch in Dubai to a select audience of local dignitaries, business people and media, C H Lee, president, LG Gulf FZE, said: “LG Electronics’ 71-inch PDP TV is the largest commercialized plasma display TV on the market, and it underlines our confident leadership in the PDP segment. We’re delighted to stage the regional debut of this latest LG product innovation.”
Lee added: “Plasma Panel Display represents a major growth product segment, and it is a central component of the digital home environment, which LG Electronics is pioneering. LG is aiming for a 30 per cent share of the global PDP module market this year, and a leading 20 per cent share of the worldwide PDP TV market by 2006.”
The gold-plated ‘LG Royal’ limited edition product will be sold individually or complete with a home theatre package and a digital broadcast receiver. Only 1,000 sets of the Royal Gold 71-inch plasma are supposed to be manufactured and each plasma will be provided with an individual gold number plate
“The ‘LG Royal’ edition reflects LG’s growing sophistication as both a marketing organisation and product innovator. LG is the genuine leader for premium digital products, and the ‘LG Royal’ series caters specifically to some of our most exclusive customers in the region. The ‘LG Royal’ 71-inch PDP TV edition is unique, and puts clear distance between LG and its competition in the region.”
LG made significant technological breakthroughs to develop the 71-inch PDP TV, which has a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 and an embedded picture-enhancement chip XD engine. Before the global launch of the product in December last year, many in the industry considered making a PDP TV with a 71-inch screen impossible.
“The Middle East displays considerable diversity in customer demand. The 71-inch PDP TV fills an important gap in the market for high-end home entertainment, and the ‘LG Royal’ addresses the specific needs of niche customers who demand exclusivity at every level. Today’s launch involves not only a great product, but also world-class customer service and after-sales – how well one serves the customer is increasingly the difference in a highly competitive market,” commented Abdul Jabbar Al Sayegh, president, Al Sayegh Brothers Trading, LG’s digital products’ partner in the UAE.
Also as part of a new service initiative for the Royal Gold 71-inch plasma, Al Sayegh will visit the customer’s residence every month to check the performance and customer satisfaction with the product.
LG Electronics is the market leader for PDP TVs in 17 countries including the UK, Germany, Spain, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. LG is exploiting its expertise in core chip sets, display components and software, and its patents in digital transmission technology for VSB/EVSB, to penetrate the rapidly growing digital TV market at both the premium and mass level. According to analysts, the global PDP TV market, estimated at 3.5 million units in 2004, will expand to 6.3 million units this year, 10 million units by 2006, and 12 million units by 2007.
To continue its expansion drive overseas, the global and regional digital leader has set up TV production bases in three global hubs – Mexico (North America), Poland (Europe), and Shenyang and Nanjing (China).
“LG will push the 71-inch PDP TV through focused marketing initiatives and order-based mass production strategies. By focusing on strategic links between home audio-video, car infotainment and mobile audio-video, LG Electronics aims to rank among the top three global players in the digital display and media segment by 2007,” said Lee.
