The rumors of the CRT's demise may have been overstated. Gizmodo dug up this Nikkei Electronics article reporting how Samsung has developed a 32" TV using proprietary CRT technologies that allow a total cabinet depth of just 15". Now, it's still going to be heavier than a comparably sized (and much thinner) LCD, but if they can keep prices down to current CRT pricing levels (under $1,000 for HDTVs), this could be a killer product. The article describes how difficult an engineering challenge it was to acheive; production is expected to ramp up throughout 2005.
Keys here:
Samsung is once again demonstrating impressive investments in R&D
If LCD prices come down enough, it will kill off even "thinner" CRTs. Samsung may be betting that's a ways off, and in the meantime they can sell thinner CRTs to the majority of the market which cannot afford to pay thousands for thinness.
...or not. Samsung may simply be hedging their bets (they're big players in LCD panel production), and displaying their willingness to participate in all markets. This is basically taking a page from Microsoft's playbook - invest in everything, so no matter what ends up on top, you win.
-avi
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