According to market research companies iSuppli and NPD Group"s DisplaySearch, Sharp is no longer the world"s leading maker of flat-panel TVs since rivals surpassed the Japanese company in unit shipments last year. Both research companies found that Samsung Electronics, based in South Korea, rose to the top spot, though they differ in Sharp"s relative ranking to Philips, Sony and LG. DisplaySearch also found that on a revenue basis, Sony stole the No. 1 spot from Sharp for the first time in 2006. Edward Taylor, a vice president of TV market research at DisplaySearch, said: "I don"t think the game is over for Sharp. Technologically speaking, they"re out in front, but Samsung and Sony are right there, and those two offer a broader product range."