Sony has discontinued production of TV sets with organic electroluminescence (EL) display panels, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported today. The paper added that Sony would continue selling organic EL monitors for its corporate clients.

The move comes as South Korean makers are aiming to strengthen sales of their large-screen organic EL TV sets.

Sony released the world's first organic EL TV model in 2007.

Though Sony's organic EL TVs were relatively expensive--with a small unit priced at 200,000 yen--Sony received numerous orders for the products when they were first released, the paper added.

The company said it would continue its sales, research and development of organic EL panels for monitors used by broadcasting companies and other corporate clients, but will withdraw from the market for home-use models of organic TVs.

Both Sony and LG are planning to release 55-inch organic EL TVs at home and abroad in 2012 at the earliest.