Sony‘s (NYSE:SNY) reputation as the most popular TV manufacturer with American consumers has vanished, new research indicates.
A consumer survey found that more consumers looking to purchase a HDTV plan to buy a Samsung model rather than a Sony. Worse for Sony, its lead over other TV vendors like LG and Vizio is also sliding.
According to ABI Research, 25% of consumers in the survey planned to purchase a HDTV in the first half of this year. The survey noted their preferences as follows:
- Samsung: 20%
- Sony: 19%
- LG: 12%
- Vizio: 11%
Sony tumbled from a 27% preference in the last ABI survey while LG and Vizio both also saw their preference among American consumers rise from single digits.
AFP Relax News noted a recent report by IHS iSuppli that said Samsung’s TVs comprised almost a quarter of LCD TV to the U.S.
“Samsung triumphed in the price war that raged in the U.S. LCD market in the fourth quarter of 2011,” Tom Morrod, senior analyst and head of TV Technology for IHS, told AFP Relax News. “The company was able to offer a range of price-competitive sets with a rich choice of features that US consumers wanted. This allowed the company to outperform the competition during the all-important holiday selling season.”
ABI Research noted that 42% of respondents said they remained uninterested in 3D technology, causing the research firm to rank 3D capability as the “least important feature” considered by consumers looking to purchase a TV.
ABI’s falling consumer sentiment assessment comes as Sony announced it will report record losses for the 2012 fiscal year that ended in March.
Sony says it will report a $6.4 billion loss during the past year, twice the loss anticipated in earlier forecasts, mostly due to a tax charge. New CEO Kazuo Hirai, appointed in February, has issued restructuring plans meant to streamline Sony’s operations and reduce its work force by 6%.
The company does, however, expect to get back in the black over the current year, projecting operating profits of $2.2 billion in fiscal 2013.
