Canon have announced that they're teaming up with Toshiba to create ultra-thin HDTVs, possibly coming in early 2008. It would use Surface-conduction Elecrron-emitter Display (SED) technology, and could be even thinner than today's LCD and plasma sets.
Their first task is to build a production plant in Taishi, costing the equivalent of $1.5bn. That's some serious investment. Production could hit 75,000 units per month when it gets going.
Though SED technology is arguably superior to current LCD and plasma, it is a much newer one, and hence likely to be more expensive. Whether it will be able to gain a foothold in the market remains to be seen - better quality doesn't always translate into market share, particularly if other technologies have captured majority market share.
It's interesting to see another company not traditionally associated with TV entering the market. Will the initial heavy investment in this new technology and its production translate into eventual profit, as other display technology continues to drop in price? Time will tell.
Read more about SED technology at Wikipedia.
Fantastic news from Toshiba and Canon! After reaching a breakthrough in the manufacturing process, it seems they'll be able to lower production costs. They will be expensive to start, but LCD and plasma prices may drop when they come out.