Sales of large (32″+) FPDs in the USA rose 12% YoY in December, according to PMA Research. The firm gets its data from professional AV dealers and integrators in the USA, serving commercial markets.
Commercial- and consumer-grade volume were driven by year-end corporate spending, with many consumer models also sold into commercial applications. PMA found that commercial sales outperformed consumer sales in December – a trend especially evident in the 50″ – 59″ category. These models outsold consumer displays by a 3:1 ratio for 2014 as a whole.
Professional 50″ – 59″ screens are significantly more expensive than consumer models, due to features such as edge-LED backlights, built-in media players and warranties covering 16+ hours of use every day. On average, these devices cost about $3,000, compared to $1,000 for consumer products. Interactive displays were about twice as expensive, although volume was significantly lower.
