Pioneer terminates plasma, looks to LCD, goes Blu and turns up volume

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Friday, 07 March 2008 15:13

Opinion and Analysis

Faced with the threat of portable navigation devices, be they standalone GPS units or GPS equipped mobile phones, eating into Pioneer’s in-car navigation systems, Pioneer wants to boost ‘telematics’ functions, using mobile phone and Internet technology to transform car satnavs into “comprehensive in-vehicle information terminals offering much more than merely car navigation”.

Pioneer says it is also developing “new in-dash car navigation systems with built-in audio/video functions that feature connectivity with peripheral electronics and innovative device operability”, while working at an OEM level to provide more in-car systems to car makers at an assembly line level.

In car audio/video products for consumer markets, Pioneer says they will “compensate for contraction in developed countries’ consumer markets by actively responding to rapid market expansion in the BRICs nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China), and will replace CD players in its car products with DVD players.

In the home electronics space, Pioneer will boost work on Blu-ray products, and work to create better links between Blu-ray players/recorders with displays, through wired and wireless means. Companies like Sony, Panasonic and others have long been working on this too, as are computing based competitors such as Microsoft, so this will be a big job for Pioneer.

Pioneer says its “goal is to create home environments where people can freely manipulate digital content piped into their homes over networks. We also aim to develop displays that are next-generation wall-mountable TVs by wirelessly connecting displays and various source devices.”

With regards to Blu-ray Disc-related products, Pioneer says it will “concentrate internal
product development on Blu-ray Disc players, which are expected to find growing
adoption worldwide”, and will also “use joint development and outsourcing to enhance our lineup of Blu-ray Disc recorders and other products.”

In the Pro SV business, Pioneer wants to drive even greater business expansion by augmenting its lineup of DJ equipment and moving into new categories of video and audio equipment.

Pioneer says its “speaker business makes effective use of technologies and expertise accumulated by Pioneer over its entire 70-year history”, and wants to grow its dominant market leading position in, but also speakers for home use, by creating ‘value added products’, such as speaker units for flat-panel TVs, mobile phones and other categories.

So, what about Pioneer’s ‘business alliance’ with Sharp Corporation, which includes the introduction of Pioneer’s first LCD TV line-up? Please read onto page 3.