It’s official: Vizio shipped more LCD HDTVs in the U.S. than any other TV company last year, according to iSuppli, a market research company that tracks TV sales. The Irvine HDTV company nearly doubled its sales, growing 92.1 percent last year from the prior year.
Vizio was neck-and-neck with Samsung all year. During some quarters, Vizio led the game, in other quarters, it was Samsung, which heavily pushed the newer LED back-lit technology. But ultimately, Vizio took the lead, ending the year with 5.92 million HDTVs sold. Samsung sold 5.60 million.
Even without its much-anticipated Internet TV, Vizio dominated the Christmas season, selling about 135,000 more TVs then second-place Samsung. During the fourth quarter, Vizio sold 1.844 million LCD TVs, making Vizio the champ for 2009.
Interestingly, iSuppli’s research shows that Toshiba also had a stellar year, growing 81.7 percent from the prior year. The TV maker, which has its U.S. laptop and storage operations in Irvine, sold 2.394 million LCD TVs. The company also sells plasma TVs and other TV technologies.
| HDTV company | HDTVs sold 2009 (millions) | Market share | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIZIO | 5.920 | 18.70% | 92.10% |
| Samsung | 5.608 | 17.70% | 22.60% |
| Sony | 3.681 | 11.60% | -1.00% |
| Toshiba | 2.394 | 7.60% | 81.70% |
| LG Electronics | 2.396 | 7.60% | 8.90% |
| Total | 31.622 | 100.00% | 29.00% |
Vizio has already made a splash in 2010 by announcing a 3D HDTV, expected in late summer, plus super skinny TVs, mobile TVs, TV headphones, Internet routers, and other TV accessories (read earlier: “Vizio goes beyond TV with 6 new gadgets.”) It also signed Beyonce Knowles Carter as its latest celebrity spokesperson and invested in its second Super Bowl commercial.
iSuppli analyst Riddhi Patel said that Vizio took the lead because of increased brand recognition and, more importantly, “providing technology advancements at affordable prices,” Patel said.
But Samsung still was at the top in one case: The best selling LCD TV. Samsung’s 32-inch LN32B360, priced at $549, was the nation’s top selling TV during the fourth quarter, according to Quixel Research.
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