14 DAY TRIAL // Since time is moving along, reports about what has happened or what may come on the IT market are obviously going to show up, and this time it is the LCD TV market that is getting a prognosis.
The next year is one that, most likely, will show highly mixed results in terms of IT sales.
LCD TVs are one of the industry's segments that might just see a positive evolution, even if it won't be spectacular.
Granted, a 10% increase in overall sales is not exactly easy to overlook.
Still, the final figure won't so much show a rise in sales as it will signify less of a decline compared to 2010 and 2011.
Back at the start of the year, analysts and brands said that they expected LCD TV shipments for 2011 to reach 250 million.
Now, though, the expectations hover at 200 million, and it doesn't take much to realize that 50 million is a big difference.
2012 is a year when, according to this report, the number of sold LCD TV panels will be 226 million.
This data was compiled by so-called end-market operators and reflects how more than one company has lowered its sales forecast.
Sharp, for example, based in Japan, expects only 12 million sales, while Sony is seeing no chance for its own sales level to boost.
Meanwhile, Chinese companies have been gaining prominence as the greatest LCD TV market in the world, but even with its local brands gaining profile, the final, total figures won't be monumental.
Ultrathin screens and TVs with narrow bezels are the main two TV categories that vendors will try to exploit next year, on the mainstream market at least. LED is basically standard at this stage as well.
Meanwhile, high-end products have been incorporating 3D and Internet connectivity, so they, and Smart TVs, might do quite well.