Global LCD TV shipments drop by -4% Y-o-Y during Q1 2013 NPD DisplaySearch reports-- unless one counts the contribution of the Chinese market, in which case WW shipments show 4% Y-o-Y growth on shipments reaching 44.8 million units.

Such growth comes through the 2013 Chinese New Year falling on February (rather than January), skewing holiday TV shipments to Q1 while showing "how important China has become to the global TV industry" according to the analyst.

Meanwhile non-LCD technologies continue their global decline-- Q1 2013 CRT TV shipments drop by -57% Y-o-Y, and Plasma demand drops by -14%. With the OLED TV contribution all but negligible (100000 units with flat growth) overall global TV shipments total 49.5m units with a -3% Y-o-Y decline.

Samsung leads the WW flat-panel TV market (28% share) on both unit and revenue basis, and is the top maker of both LCD and plasma TVs. LGE follows with improved 16.6% revenue share and 4% Y-o-Y growth, while TCL becomes the first Chinese TV brand to break into the global top 3 thanks to strong share within its home market.

Japanese CE makers Sharp and Sony take the #4 and #5 positions respectively, even if both lose market share on a Y-o-Y basis.

Go NPD DIsplaySearch Quarterly TV Shipment and Forecast Report