I've read the new Pannys are going to be really sweet. Also thinner, less energy consumption, 600 hz (as opposed to 480hz of Pio?). One fellow I trust thinks they looked so good at CES, that Pioneer might not be all that missed. (No offense; if I got a flat panel today, it would be a Kuro, outside of the singular exception of something larger than 60").
As long as successful marketing manhandles consumer ignorance, plasma will never hold the lion's share of the market. However, they can still be successful, I'd imagine, perhaps the same way that Bluray might with a small market share.
After all, EVERYONE that does know their displays, or is a professional CI installer, recommends plasma as far as that I have seen.