Panasonic to stop LCD panel production

Japanese electronics makers have undergone major structural reforms in recent years as South Korean and Chinese manufacturers continue to improve the quality of their products at a cheaper cost.

This is a misleading comment as people who buy TVs/displays largely view them as disposable compared to 20 years ago. Japan cannot and does not have a slave labour sector to exploit unlike China and even if Japanese brands had all their products made in China, that still won't make them competitive as the materials used are of higher quality. In order for Japan to compete with them they'd have to use junk materials and force consumers to accept it by lowering retail prices. Rather than do that Japan left the consumer market to be dominated by cheap manufacturers.

So why don't Chinese and Korean brands dominate the professional industries (video, sound, musical instruments, medical etc)? Because price doesn't matter but reliability and longevity does.

@Hillclimber

This is a misleading comment as people who buy TVs/displays largely view them as disposable compared to 20 years ago.

Maybe in Japan, but if you walk into American Costco prominently displaying $2,000 LG and Samsung TV sets, they aren't.

The TV sets that people want to buy always cost $2,000, and these aren't disposable.

Just a personal impression, but Panasonic were big on plasma and it wasn't a winning technology. By that, I mean the power consumption is about three times that of an LCD. If you have kids and your tv is on a lot, it could cost you 20,000 yen extra a year. That's a lot to pay for a better picture, "deeper blacks" or whatever.

Fridges that are twenty or thirty years old have similarly excessive energy bills. It's worth checking before receiving one off someone.

We just replaced an 11 year old 37 inch Pana Viera LCD tv with 50 inch Hisense that is 4k, has a built-in 4k tuner, and Toshiba innards. It was 55,000 yen, less than half the Pana tv was.

Panasonic - Stop making cheep LCD and start making this instead!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCjMLU5v9bs

New laws in Britain and EU stating that appliance makers must make their products that can be repaired by the owners and the parts too must be available.

Average appliance life was more than 20 years. These days lucky if you get 5 years.

In ten years I have discarded three computer monitors always for the same reason. The high capacitors burn out leaving a black screen. They could be repaired but I can go down the store or look on Amazon and find a replacement monitor for ¥10-¥15,000. Cheaper than a repair.

I don't have an actual TV and use my computer monitors for watching TV.

Out of all TVs I used throughout my life, both in my home country and in Japan, most were Panasonic's. It's a shame to see such a giant and reputable name in TV's move on to other things, but at least they make incredible cameras, home appliances, personal care products, etc. Heck, their headphones are great too.

@kohakuebisu

That's a lot to pay for a better picture, "deeper blacks" or whatever.

No offence but that's just wrong. Disrespecting someone's tech expertise and their superior product just because you didn't want to pay the extra bill. Plenty of competitors in the market back then too, didn't have to go for Panny necessarily.

We just replaced an 11 year old 37 inch Pana Viera LCD tv with 50 inch Hisense that is 4k, has a built-in 4k tuner, and Toshiba innards. It was 55,000 yen, less than half the Pana tv was.

The tech world nowadays is much different compared to 20 years ago. It's like comparing a flagship phone of today, say the iPhone, with the equivalent flagship of 2001, from, like, Sony or Motorola. With TVs, people simply don't buy them to keep them for a very long time. A Sony Trinitron that was bought just before I was born STILL, somehow, works perfectly. Can't say the same for today's models.

The Koreans and Taiwanese have already practically caught up with Japan in a lot of areas and for the average consumer they offer much better value. Japan still has an edge but the relative price difference isn't worth it, it's an unnecessary premium to many people. They'll have to think of how to lower costs to compete

Like what happened in America when they gave up TV manufacturing to the Japanese

Only ever owned Japanese brands here in Japan and my current Sony bravia android is the best by the proverbial. Had 2 Sharp and both were way expensive and frankly 2nd grade.

As others said LG & Samsung are the ubiquitous choices in many countries and are known for their low(er) prices / hi-quality balance. Not too many duds in their better range.

And companies like Hisense and Vizio (esp US) are up there too.

Panasonics future is probably more likely to be in the smart-interface-tech world with e-homes, e-cars and e-e.

They could use the technology to make solar panels. Than we'd be less reliant on nuclear energy.