International. Due to the fact that both Japanese multinationals presented a negative balance during the fiscal year 2011, Sony and Panasonic negotiate the possible joint development of televisions and screens with state-of-the-art OLED technology.
This could be the two companies' solution to counter the expansion in the market of Samsung and LG, the South Korean companies that plan to launch state-of-the-art OLED TVs this year.
A possible alliance would reduce development costs for TVs and allow them to gain ground over the South Korean manufacturers that currently dominate the industry. Sony, has already presented several prototypes and is looking for a partner of guarantees like Panasonic so as not to be left behind.
Sony spokesmen declined to confirm the existence of the agreement, such a plan would be in line with the strategy presented by its new president, Kazuo Hirai.
At the moment the manufacture of this type of screens does not seem profitable for large manufacturers who are now trying to look for synergies that facilitate the definitive development of this type of televisions. Analysts believe that the technology is maturing fast and by 2015 sales of OLED TVs will exceed 2 million devices worldwide.
