Panasonic: Our Future Is 4K and Oled Technology

Online, May 1, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Panasonic has repeatedly indicated that have interest in OLED technology, and also exhibited the first 4K OLED TV together with Sony earlier this year - although a prototype. Now that the future of plasma TVs is clear, Panasonic is ready to speak about its future strategy for TVs.

Panasonic product will now focus entirely on Ultra HD and OLED technology. All resources will be moved to research, development and production in these fields, following the plasma exit. Panasonic's goal is still to create the leading TV products in the industry, and "combine stunning design with user-friendly Smart TV function and sharp picture quality.

- "We will continue to focus on expanding sales and offer a strong line-up of new TV models, based on the experience we have in flat panel TVs. Going forward, we will use all our resources to maintain the leading position in 4K Ultra HD technology," says Calina Gavril, Business Manager at Panasonic Nordic to FlatpanelsHD.

Panasonic currently has the only 4K TV with HDMI 2.0 on the market.

As announced yesterday, Panasonic will stop production of plasma TVs in December 2013 and end all sales in March 2014. Panasonic says to FlatpanelsHD that they will continue to honor the warranty on all plasma TVs, and will still support plasma TVs globally as today after March 2014.
When Panasonic announced that they were no longer going to invest in any further R&D to make further improvements on future Plasma models, I took that as a strong message that the 2013 models were going to be the end of the line.

I recently came across this older news item, which made it clear last year that the new guy in charge at Panasonic had pretty much already decided that he was going to get out of the Plasma business.

"Tsuga earned his reputation by becoming the first Panasonic executive to question openly if plasma screens were visibly better than LCD panels. In a 2012 essay that appeared in the reputable monthly publication Bungei Shunju, Tsuga described a personal experiment at home. Soon after taking over the money-losing TV unit in April 2011, he had a Panasonic plasma TV and a rival brand's LCD TV installed in his home to compare them from the consumer's viewpoint. "My wife and I watched them every day. My wife, who was probably rooting for Panasonic, said that plasma TV might be a little better. But I didn't see a discernible difference."

I am wondering if Panasonic will even stay in the TV manufacturing business for much longer, since they really are way behind other brands, when it comes to competing in the LCD display arena, and they do not even manufacture their own large LCD panels.

I came across this bitter comment which was posted yesterday by the "Panasonic Insider" over on the "Junkie" site, and he has suddenly turned on Panasonic. Reading between the lines, I suspect that he probably has been told that he will no longer have a job there.

"PANASONIC INSIDERS THREAD -rumors hints and info!
At a cross roads guys. I'm a part of a company that after the massive layoffs I can no longer respect. The inhumanity shown for the sake of covering up poor business decisions and mistakes has lead me to this point. Where I no longer wish to be part of this company that for many years has been my home. I'll actively be looking for new employment in the coming months as I cannot get behind products such as led knowing it's inferior to the zt. This is my preference. You decide for YOURSELF

This has been very very hard to reach this decision. Many hours spent with my family but I know where Panasonic is headed and it's not looking good. So I need to make this choice for my families future and I am a man who stands on honor and doing what is right. As the A line of products approaches I'll give hints to those that are interested. This has truly been a terrible time and the darkest of times for Panasonic. I think I speak for everyone who is even left at the office that morale is broken.."
For more information visit : http://www.avsforum.com/t/1497543/panasonic-our-future-is-4k-and-oled-technology