If you’re thinking of buying a plasma display, or already own one, then it seems you could be in a minority by 2011. Analyst In-Stat has predicted that within four years LCD displays will account for almost 75 per cent of the market, while plasma will only take home around 15 per cent.

The analyst also forecast that worldwide digital TV unit shipments will grow from 68m units in 2006, to over 144m by 2011. Total revenue will also increase from $71bn in 2006 to $76bn by 2011, but with retail prices putting pressure upon revenue growth. In-Stat’s figures are based on research surveys in six countries, including the USA, UK, France and Japan.

The analyst’s research also revealed a mixed pattern of interest in HD TVs internationally. For example, only 13 per cent of US consumers exhibited an interest in HD TVs, while in France and South Korea 44 and 40 per cent of consumers were interested in the technology.

In 2006, Q4 figures from market watcher DisplaySearch said display manufacturers made more money from LCD TVs than they did from sets based on CRT technology, despite far more CRT TVs being shipped during the quarter.

The 2006 figures also discovered that plasma TVs accounted for 3.9 per cent of global display shipments during the quarter, up 109 per cent year on year.