Sony to drop rear-projection TVs

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TOKYO, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Sony Corp. said Thursday it will cease production of rear-projection television sets in February and step up marketing of flat screen TVs.

Sony is joining the trend to flat screens despite critical praise for some of its cinema-sized big screen rear-projection sets. Sales of the rear-projection TVs have been declining worldwide and Sony will end production at the end of February, BusinessWeek reported.

Sony will focus on production of liquid crystal display and ultra-thin organic electroluminescence display televisions.

The company sold 1.1 million rear-projection TVs in fiscal 2006, but only expects to sell about 400,000 this year, a 43 percent drop, MarketWatch said. Sony expects to sell 10 million LED TVs in 2008.

Rival Hitachi said last month it would stop selling rear-projection televisions in North America.