Like pioneer's exit, panasonic's exit is the end of an era.
What's going to push samsung plasmas to do better and go cheaper now that there's no competition?
I think Samsung will continue making good plasmas. Now that Panny is out of the way, what will motivate Sammy? --- The prestige of making the best TV in the world. Sammy finally did it this year by winning the 2013 VE shootout.
Samsung can afford to continue making a smaller line of plasma TVs; Panasonic can't. Samsung posted a $22.5B profit for 2012; Panasonic got a $10B loss for 2012.
It's not the end of an era of good but affordable TVs. Although it does look like it's the end of an era for "Japan, Inc."
Sammy will stop plasma production when OLED TVs go mainstream. There's one obstacle for plama's future: 4K. Since it's unlikely that any company will invest in a plasma factory with 4K capability, it looks like plasma will forever max out at 2K.
When 4K prices go down, it's going to be high-end LED vs. high-end OLED, both 4K. That's the time when Sammy can let go of plasma.
