Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a world leader in the digital television market, once again displayed its hallmark of unrivalled quality, when it launched its new Full HD LCD, PDP TV line-up in the Kingdom. In an event held at Nawras Movenpick Resort on Corniche Road on Wednesday punctuated with sword dance (Ardah), the salient features of Samsung's new Full HD LCD, PDP TV line-up were spelled out. Gye Choon Cho, general manager of Samsung Saudi Arabia, expressed confidence that the new models cater both to the low-end and high-end segments of the market. United Matbouli Group is Samsung's sole distributor in the Kingdom. The new range of Full HD LCD TV's and HD PDP TVs, which are Series 4, 5, and 6 are specifically designed for consumers new to HD entertainment. Combining elegant styling with a wide range of higher-end components ordinarily exclusive to premium sets, consumers can now experience superb picture quality, optimized digital performance, and ease-of-use in an HDTV that fits seamlessly into any home decor. “Samsung's newest LCD technologies and engineering techniques have allowed us to offer attractive HD and Full HD TVs with great features and excellent picture quality,” said Omar Siddiqui, AV product manager, Samsung Electronics KSA. “With the LCD HDTV Series 4 AND Full HDTV Series 5 and Series 6, every customer can enjoy a premium high-definition experience.” “Everything from the LCD panel and chassis construction down to input accessibility and the remote control are specifically engineered to provide an incredible HD entertainment experience,” added Mohammad Asad Ali, business unit manager, United Matbouli Group. “Consumers will also find an easy-to-navigate interface with settings to instantly give you the best picture and sound at the press of a button.” For years, Samsung enjoys the unrivaled leader in television manufacturing, particularly with the advent of LCD and plasma models. Based on the report of GfK Group, a leading market research organization which provides cutting edge quantitative and qualitative surveys and fact-based consultancy, Samsung remains the uncontested leader in the industry, maintaining its top rank in market share both in terms of units sold and the corresponding value. The demand for large-size and Full HD model is growing, adding that in the emerging market alone, the demand is forecast to grow 64 percent or 29.4 million units in 2008 and would rise by 40 percent to 41.1 million in 2009. The report said that last year, Samsung posted a 16.9 percent share of the overall global market in terms of units sold, a marked improvement from 13.5 percent it has recorded in 2006 in which it was also the leader. Behind Samsung, were Sony, Philips, Sharp and LGE, which took 12.1 percent, 10.8 percent, 10.1 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively, of the global market. Based on value of the global market in 2007, Samsung strengthened its position, rallying to number one slot with 18.7 percent of the market from 15.3 percent a year before, in which Sony had 17.1 percent of the market, GfK report noted. In the Middle East and North African region, Samsung also took the lead, garnering 30.4 percent of the market share in units sold, with its 32” TV, FPTV and LCD accumulating 36.4 percent and 34 percent for the 40” of the models, whereas LGE and Sony ranked second and third at 24.7 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively in the period under review. On value, the GfK report further showed that in the MENA region, Samsung enjoyed a comfortable lead among other brands in 2007, capturing 33.4 percent of the market, against 22.7 percent and 17.3 percent secured by LGE and Sony respectively. In Saudi Arabia, the GfK study revealed that Samsung TV, FPTV (front projection television), LCD TV units sold in 2007 captured a sizeable 33.4 percent of the market Kingdom-wide from 12.8 percent in the preceding year, keeping the top spot for the successive years. However, Sony and LGE were able to corner only 24.8 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively, with BenQ and Sharp getting an equal 5. 3 percent share. In terms of value, Samsung has defended its dominance in the Kingdom by holding 33 percent of the local market in 2007 from 30.2 percent the previous year. Panasonic, LGE and JVC brands trailed the pack last year, garnering 31.9 percent, 8.2 percent and 1.3 percent of the market, respectively, GfK study noted. With the slogan “Design that Performs” for Samsung's 2008 models, both Samsung and United Matbouli Group officials assured that the new models “will take consumers to a new level of excitement,” adding that “the new, creative originality of Samsung differentiates the emotional design of your lifestyle.” In the industry's first, Samsung also introduced the first “3D Ready PDP TV.” With the emphasis on craftsmanship, Samsung's new Series 6 Full HD LCD TVs mark an innovative foray into the world of contemporary design and styling. All models in the Series 6 come in various screen sizes of 32, 40, 46 and 52 inches with Full HD resolutions. The viewing experience is magnified with Samsung's latest viewing and technological advancements, such as Ultra Clear Panel and 100Hz Motion Plus technology. __
