On February 21, Toshiba announced the possibility of postponing the spring 2006 release date for its next-generation flat-screen SED (Surface-conduction Electron-emission Display) TV until next year. Toshiba has worked with Canon to develop SED TV technology.

At a press conference on February 21, Satoshi Niikura, vice president of Toshiba?s digital media operations, said, "Because SED is still in the trial production stage, we are unable to secure a sufficient quantity of panels (key components)." The company will soon make a final decision regarding its strategy.

SED panels are currently being manufactured on a trial basis at a joint-venture factory in the city of Hiratsuka in Kanagawa prefecture at a rate of about 1000 units per month. Full-scale production is not expected until 2007.

[Source: Asahi Shimbun]

On January 5, Fujio Mitarai, President and CEO of Canon, announced that its next-generation SED (surface-conduction electron-emitter display) flat-screen TVs will not be released until early summer, several months later than originally scheduled. The 55-inch model will initially be sold in Japan, and full-scale mass production is expected to begin in 2007.

Canon will make its debut in the TV market with this product. SED technology, which Canon developed with Toshiba, provides high resolution and low power consumption. Much attention will be focused on the market share that SED is able to garner in the highly competitive flat-screen TV market, which is dominated by LCD and plasma. Toshiba will release its SED TV early this year, as planned.

[Source: Asahi Shimbun]