LCD TV Prices Fell 13 Percent in 2008

Figures from DisplaySearch indicate that the average LCD television was 13 percent cheaper in December than it was one year prior.

Everyone knows that flat-panel televisions have become exponentially cheaper over the years, and continue to fall all the time, but not many people can tell you “how much.” It can be hard to tell based on a fistful of Sunday ads and hearsay, but number crunchers at DisplaySearch claim that that LCD television prices fell 13 percent from December 2007 to 2008.

Surprisingly enough, the 13 percent figure is actually a smaller fall than expected, but only because DisplaySearch recently began taking India into account in its statistics. Due to exceptionally high consumption taxes, LCD televisions in India retail for far higher than in the rest of the world. For instance, while the average price for a 52-inch television in North America is $1,742, the same set in India would run $5,523.

The company also noted that television prices have not fallen as quickly as panel prices. This indicates that more of the expense in current TVs is coming from other components like speakers, tuners and the circuitry to drive a display, rather than the raw panel itself. Back in January, the average TV cost only 2.56 times more than the cost of a panel, while that figure has leapt to 3.6 in December.

Moving forward, DisplaySearch recently predicted that ultra-slim TV sales would grow significantly, and that half of all mainstream TVs sold would be “green” by 2011.