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Sony to discontinue plasma // go with LCD.

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Sony to exit plasma TV business, shift focus to LCD models: report

27 minutes ago


TOKYO (AFP) - Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news) (news - web sites). plans to withdraw from the plasma television business as early as the first half of 2005, a news report said.
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The consumer electronics giant instead will devote its flat-panel TV operations to LCD (liquid crystal display) versions, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said without citing sources.


By consolidating its business resources and concentrating its investments in LCD TVs, Sony is aiming to enhance its price competitiveness in the global market and recover its profitability, the newspaper said.


As part of its plan to withdraw from plasma TVs, Sony will phase out manufacturing of these units at production sites in the Japanese city of Ichinomiya, Spain's Barcelona, China's Wuxi and the US city of Pittsburgh, the Nihon Keizai said.


The company is considering a plan to stop selling these sets as early as the first half of next year but will continue to provide aftersales services to customers who purchased them, it said.


The production lines at the four sites are expected to begin producing LCD TVs and rear-projection models in place of plasma sets, the newspaper said.


Sony is the world's biggest TV manufacturer, taking up roughly a 10-percent share of the global market, the Nihon Keizai said.


Its decision to withdraw from plasma models could have an impact on other domestic and overseas TV makers, it added.


Sony officials could not be reached for immediate comment.

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