After months of rumours and hearsay Panasonic admits the defeat of plasma in the TV war and announces it is to stop selling products making use of plasma display panels (PDPs) by end March 2014.

“In the display panel business Panasonic has been promoting the development of non-TV applications and carried out various restructuring measures, such as reduction of fixed costs, for both PDP and LCD panels," the company says. "Through further fundamental business restructuring, the company is aiming to optimize the business and focus its management resources.”

Panasonic already suspended PDP production at its Amagasaki P3 and P5 plants, and will continue operating the P4 plant until March 2014. Following the date the company will probably shift some research and production efforts towards OLED TVs, as well as "new development of its visual and display businesses."

The final swan song for the company's plasma HDTV line is the ZT60-- a 65-inch number described by the company as "beyond the reference" and by the specialist press as the best Panasonic plasma money can buy.

Go Regarding the End of Production of Panasonic Plasma Display Panels