SOUTHEAST ASIA'S CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY TOTALLED US$1.415 BIL IN FIRST QUARTER 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- Southeast Asia's consumer electronics industry totaLled US$1.415 billion in the first quarter of this year, driven by the continual growth of value segments with consumers increasing adoption of new technologies, says GfK Asia, a leading global market research company.

In a statement Monday, GfK Asia said an average increase of 8.7 per cent in the consumer electronics category in Southeast Asian countries and this is indicative of the heightened pace in market switchover to newer technology such as from CRT (cathode ray tube) to flat panel television and basic DVD players to blue-ray players.

Its regional account director for consumer electronics Jasmine Lim said this phenomenon was particularly high in developing economies like Vietnam and Indonesia where growth rates hit 38 and 37 per cent over the same period last year.

The adoption rate of flat panel television in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand are slightly less advanced with its first quarter sales volume reaching 84, 66 and 53 per cent, respectively.

She said the industry would continue thriving and contribute substantially as a key driving force of the consumer electronics industry.

"With some of the largest and most populous developing countries hailing from Southeast Asia, the full potential of the television market in this region is far from being realised," she added.