Research firm forecasts lower HDTV prices during holidays

Expect big-screen HDTV prices to drop in coming months [ZDNet]

It's normal to see HDTV prices to drop around the holidays, but research firm IHS iSuppli believes this year will see even greater price drops than usual – particularly for larger screens.

August marked the first time in four months that prices of HDTVs fell, and prices were down an average of around $5.00 per television. Sets over 40 inches large saw more substantial decreases.

Despite the relatively low decreases we've seen lately, the research firm believes that the that the slow economy will result in a more significant decline in prices around the holiday period.

IHS iSuppli cites the manufacturer Sharp as a prime example of why this decline has to happen. Recently Sharp has been trying to distinguish itself by offering some of the largest screens available. However, this did not lead to increased sales until Sharp dropped the price on its 60" set to the average 55" inch price of its competitors.

Big screen HDTVs also currently have higher-than-normal inventories, which means manufacturers will be encouraged to get those sets off the shelves this holiday season.