Sony and Samsung are slashing prices on their 4K/Ultra HDTV sets by as much as $1,500, and LG may soon follow with a new, less-featured and less-expensive line of Ultra HDTVs as well, according to TWICE magazine.
Citing “multiple retail sources,” TWICE reports that Samsung issued price cuts on its F9000-series TVs August 25th, matching a move made by Sony two weeks ago. Samsung’s 55-inch Ultra HD LCD TV (UN55F9000) is now priced at $4,500, down from its previous price of $5,500, and the larger 65-inch model (UN65F9000) dropped to $6000, a cut of over $1500. Even with the cuts, the new pricing still has Ultra HD models selling for roughly double that of comparably featured 1080p HDTVs, with Samsung 65-inch UN65F8000 LED TV currently priced at $3,000.
Similarly, Sony’s 55-inch XBR-55X900A dropped by $1,000 to $4,000, and its 65-inch XBR-65X900A model was cut by $1,500 to $5,500. In addition, Sony reportedly informed its dealers to expect two new models of 4K TVs that will come without the elaborate built-on speaker systems featured in the X900A series. These scaled down models would match up with Samsung’s reduced priced points, with a 55-inch set priced at $3,500 and a 65-inch at a $5,000.
It appears LG may follow suit. According to this press statement (in Korean – use Google Translate for translation) LG will retain the pricing on its current Ultra HDTV offerings, but intends to introduce two new models with larger bezels, scaled down sound systems and reduced prices to match its competitors. A 55-inch 55LA9650 and 65-inch 65LA9650 would go for $5,000 and $7,000, respectively (if those model numbers were retained and were introduced to the US market).
These apparently reactionary price cuts come just one year after LG first introduced its 84-inch Ultra HDTV and Sony brought out its 84-inch 4K TV. Prices on Sony’s 55- and 65-inch models were announced less than five months ago. So far, none of the three manufacturers have offered an insight into what has motivated the price cuts.
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