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International Herald Tribune: The market research firm IDC last week trimmed its forecast for global LCD television shipments this year because of the economic slowdown, but said lower prices should spur fresh demand next year.

The U.S.-based firm now predicts that unit shipments of flat-screen LCD TVs will hit 95 million this year, down 4 percent from the 99 million units it projected previously, but the shipments could grow at least 15 percent in 2009.

“Given the expected continued aggressive average sales price decline for next year, I still think there’s going to be a robust demand,” said Eric Haruki, a research director at IDC. Haruki said some big TV vendors, including Sony and Samsung Electronics, have lowered prices of their TVs since the beginning of the year after panel prices weakened.

IDC also said major LCD panel makers, including AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics, both of Taiwan, should continue to cut production or they could face a severe supply glut next year.

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As satnav units continue to get cheaper, more sophisticated and more readily available, the use of personal navigation devices is set to surge by more than 50 per cent this year, new research shows.

Nearly twice as many (93 per cent more) satnav units were sold last year compared to 2005, research firm IDC said today, and the surge is set to continue. IDC expects the entire satnav market to increase by 53 per cent worldwide this year.

The UK and the rest of Western Europe are leading the way when it comes to personal satnav devices, with the US in second place. IDC predicts that outdoor activities and fitness will contribute to more specialised devices, which are likely to sell better than in-car navigation products over the next few years.

In its Consumer Navigation Devices: Finding Your Way study, IDC also predicted that content and services will be increasingly important as satnav makers try to differentiate themselves from each other.

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Red Herring: Nintendo on Wednesday announced WiiWare, a new service designed to bring original downloadable games to its popular Wii console.

Wii owners have been able to purchase and download a variety of classic Nintendo games such as Super Mario Bros. from the system’s online service since it launched in November, but WiiWare is Nintendo’s first effort to solicit original games for purchase and download online.

The move comes as Nintendo competitors Microsoft and Sony already offer original games for their consoles via proprietary online services. “It makes sense,” IDC gaming analyst Billy Pidgeon said of Nintendo’s move. “I’m surprised they didn’t do it earlier.”

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EDA Geek: Less than a quarter of the world’s population will own a flat panel TV by the end of this year, according to a global survey from market research firm IDC.  This paints a bright picture for the industry.

Consumers say high quality video is the main force driving demand for digital TVs. Over half of IDC survey respondents consider high definition (HD) compatibility as an extremely important factor influencing their decision to replace their current TV.

Surprisingly, a majority of respondents say they do not currently subscribe to HD programming.

Pricing is also a significant issue. In fact, TV price concerns towered over all others on the list including display technology, screen size, and even brand. “Cost is critical in my decision,” writes one survey respondent. “I know what I want, but am waiting until the price suits me.” More than 60% of respondents (all who fell into a high income demographic) say they expect to pay less than $2,000 (around 1,500 Euro) on their new TV.

While price points have dropped over the years, they remain somewhat high for a large part of the TV-buying public.

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