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Samsung to end Plasma Production

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Samsung SDI, the battery arm of the Samsung Group conglomerate, announces it will end production of plasma display panels (PDP) by end-November 2014 due to falling plasma TV demand.

Samsung plasma"We plan to continue our PDP TV business until the end of this year, due to changes in market demands," a Samsung statement to CNET says. "We remain committed to providing consumers with products that meet their needs, and will increase our focus on growth opportunities in UHD TV's and Curved TV's."

Once production ends the company will convert some of its PDP lines for use in the battery business, and sell the rest to other firms.

Recently Samsung SDI completed a merger with Cheil Industries, another Samsung affiliate producing electronic and chemical materials.

Either way, it appears 2014 will be plasma's last year, making true the April 2014 NPD Displaysearch prediction of plasma disappearing entirely by 2015 together with that far more archaic TV technology, CRT.

Earlier this year Panasonic pulled the plug on plasma TVs, having stopped selling products making use of PDPs on March 2014. This leaves the plasma arena open to exactly one company-- LG, another TV maker said to be considering a stop to plasma production.

According to Yonhap News Agency LG has already converted one of its PDP lines to solar battery production, and will exit the PDP business "in the near future."

Go Samsung SDI

Go Samsung SDI to Discontinue Plasma Display Production Amid Low Demand (Yonhap News Agency)