The Irvine, Calif., computer maker, which at one time claimed to be tops among sellers of plasma-screen TVs in the United States, has quietly phased out its plasma-screen and liquid crystal display TV sets in recent weeks in favor of focusing its efforts on PCs. Gateway Inc. says its March 2004 acquisition of eMachines Inc. lead to the TV line"s demise.
After failing in a bid to become a brand-name consumer electronics supplier, it inked the eMachines deal and refocused its efforts on selling PCs to consumers and businesses. It"s made progress there thus far as, during the second quarter, it moved up to No. 3 in PC shipments in the United States, growing units by 26 percent year over year, according to International Data Corp.