Pioneer Elite vs. Pioneer "Standard" Kuro Plasmas

Pioneer will stop making their panels in April 2009

I heard this and just bought a 60' kuro 14
I have an older 50" elite
nothing like the pioneers and no fear buying it
mines been reliable from day one
the best tv on the market

There are reports from NIKKEI, a businees blog
that Pioneer is getting out of the television business
for good. The switch to the other panels may not happen.
Pioneer states they are losing money on the line.

Search "pioneer quitting television". I do not want
to be the one starting a rumor, but I have read this several times in business magazines.

it's all over the avs forums
I took action and bought a 9g model
the black levels are fabulous

I just read on the opening page of yahoo website that a lot of the engineers that worked at Pioneer left and are now working for Panasonic. If this is the case then the next Panasonic models may be better than the Kuro.

I'm guessing there's quit a bit of proprietary design within the Pioneer G series plasmas that Panasonic would have to purchase before improving the design, which in and of itself may not that big of a deal. Doesn't Panasonic already have a working relationship with Pioneer?

Aside from its performance the Elite G series is an elegant design that could easily be changed to become more affordable.