{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1955176,
        "msgid": "32-inch-tvs-set-to-disappear-as-prices-prepare-for-massive-surge-1788343026",
        "date": "2026-09-02 15:30:00",
        "title": "32-Inch TVs Set to Disappear as Prices Prepare for Massive Surge",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Economy",
        "summary": "A global surge in memory component prices is threatening the viability of budget-friendly 32-inch televisions. Analysts predict that rising production costs may force manufacturers to phase out smaller, cheaper models in favour of premium, larger-screen products.",
        "content": "<p>32-inch televisions are potentially set to become the hardest hit by\nthe global surge in memory component prices. This situation could make\nbudget TVs increasingly expensive and even lead to their gradual\ndisappearance from the market.<\/p>\n<p>The rise in memory component prices, which has already been felt in\nstreaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, Walmart, and Amazon Fire TV\nStick, is now spreading to other electronic products. TVs and soundbars\nare expected to be affected as they also utilise memory components.<\/p>\n<p>However, the impact on televisions is not immediately visible in the\nmarket. Television manufacturers typically have longer supply contracts,\nmeaning price increases take longer to reflect in retail prices.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Surging Production Costs for Budget TVs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Data from analyst firm Omdium shows that the greatest pressure is\noccurring within the budget TV segment. In a second-quarter 2026 update,\nthe cost of audio and video processing boards in 32-inch HD smart TVs\nhas surged drastically to 37% of total production costs, a sharp\nincrease from 13% the previous year, as reported by Pocketlint on\nWednesday (2\/9\/2026).<\/p>\n<p>Similar increases are being experienced by larger-sized TVs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>Google Smart TV 55-inch UHD: Mainboard cost contribution rose\nfrom 12% to 31%.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>75-inch UHD models: The cost proportion increased from 8% to\n20%.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The core issue is that memory requirements do not increase alongside\nscreen size. According to Omdia models, memory configurations remain\nidentical\u2014specifically 2 GB DDR and 16 GB eMMC\u2014for both 32-inch TVs and\nmuch larger models.<\/p>\n<p>When memory chip prices triple, the additional nominal cost is\nrelatively similar for both small and large TVs. However, the impact is\nfar more devastating for budget TVs because these components represent a\nmuch larger portion of the overall production cost.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Market Shifts and Impact on Consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Observing this trend, Omdia suggests that manufacturers need to shift\ntowards larger, premium products to mitigate the proportion of memory\ncosts. Consequently, budget TVs priced at around US$79 (approximately\nRp1.2 million) are becoming the products that most rapidly lose their\neconomic appeal.<\/p>\n<p>This financial pressure has already reached negotiations between\nmanufacturers and retailers in the United States:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>March 2026: Several retailers began agreeing to manufacturer\nrequests to raise prices, with an obligation to provide 60-90 days\u2019\nnotice.<\/p><\/li>\n<li><p>April 2026: Manufacturers requested that retailers share the\nburden of rising memory costs.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Omdia estimates that the total production cost for assembling a TV\nhas now increased by 30% to 50%, and could potentially be even\nhigher.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, the full impact is not yet visible on retail shelves as\nseveral retailers are still clearing old stock through promotional\npricing. Walmart, for instance, was still offering a TCL Roku 85-inch TV\nfor US$498 and a TCL Google TV 98-inch for US$998 during a May 2026\npromotion.<\/p>\n<p>However, once old stock and discount programmes are exhausted,\nconsumers will inevitably face 2026 TV models carrying significantly\nhigher price tags.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, 32-inch TVs are among the products most vulnerable to\nbeing pushed out of the market. This is not due to a decline in screen\nquality, but rather because the surge in memory component prices is\ndriving production costs for budget TVs beyond sustainable levels.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/32-inch-tvs-set-to-disappear-as-prices-prepare-for-massive-surge-1788343026",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}