Canon, Toshiba Delay SED Production Indefinitely

Canon and Toshiba have delayed indefinitely the production of surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED) TVs.

The two companies have been collaborating on the technology since 1999 and had been set to demonstrate a 55-inch SED screen at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The product was a no-show.

Canon said in a statement Friday that "prices of flat panels are declining more rapidly than expected." The company would have to implement new production techniques in order to keep SED prices in line with existing and emerging technologies such as OLED.

This latest delay is one of many. In January, a 2004 joint venture established by Canon and Toshiba to produce SED TVs collapsed amid litigation by SED technology developer Nano-Proprietary.

Even so, Canon then said it would be able to ship SED screens by year-end. Most recently, the two companies said they would not hit that deadeline, but declined to name a new ship date.

SED TVs are said to produce brighter pictures, achieve more accurate color, offer better motion response and consume less energy than other flat-panel TVs.