Sony forecasts bright profits in high-end TVs

Japanese electronics giant Sony hopes to become the biggest player in the Chinese high-end TV market by expanding production and launching new products.

Tadanobu Matsushima, president of the consumer sales and marketing unit with Sony China, said his company wants to become number one in the "high-end" segment in the world's biggest TV market.

"The market is changing very rapidly and we will continue to launch products to meet new demands," said Matsushima.

The Japanese firm has decided to expand production at SSV Shanghai Suoguang Visual Products Co Ltd. Inflatable ToysAlthough Sony has presence in all segments from products as cheap as 2,000 yuan (US$250) to luxurious models sold at over 40,000 yuan (US$4,800), it only produces low-end products in China and high-end ones are imported.

It is said that 35 per cent of TV sets sold this year will be large-screen models and the proportion of 16:9 wide-screen TV sets will rise from last year's 14 per cent to 26 per cent. MDPJ TV sets, or LCD projection TV sets, will play a big part in Sony's ambition.

Noriaki Negishi, general manager of the East Asian area with Sony's TV Group, said that out of 100 TV sets sold in China during April to July, only 22 were projection TV models, but the ratio in the United States was 43 per cent and the sales value of MDPJ TV sets already reached one-fourth of the total projected TV sales. That means there is huge potential in the Chinese market for such models.

"Now is the best timing to launch our top products," he said.