SANTA CLARA, Calif., December 14, 2011— As global LCD TV brands ramp up production for the Q4’11 holiday period, LCD TV production is nearing a record high. Of the TV brands surveyed by NPD DisplaySearch for its MarketWise – LCD Industry Dynamics report, production reached a record high of 19.8 million units in October, and is expected to maintain that level in November.

Even though production for most global TV brands typically slows down in November, LCD TV production is expected to be sustained as Chinese TV brands, aiming for monthly shipment growth in November and December, prepare for the Chinese New Year holiday. November is estimated to be the highest record with 19.9M units built by the surveyed brands globally. “In addition to supply chain pull-in for upcoming holidays, we expect Chinese TV brands to fight for market share to make up for shipment targets missed in the beginning of the year,” said Deborah Yang, Research Director for NPD DisplaySearch.

TV demand outlook is turning positive for unit volume in the near term, but the focus is on inexpensive and simple-feature sets. TV brands, including leading global vendors, are planning to carry new TV sizes and low-specification LCD TVs to create business opportunities and drive traffic in 2012. Yang added, “Prices for Black Friday may not influence the market very much, but the price points of new emerging sizes together with simple-feature TV sets cannot be overlooked. These are likely to lead to confusion in the product and value proposition.”

Despite strong sell-through results in North America and China, LCD TV brands are cautiously controlling their inventories. For December through February, LCD TV brands are planning to reduce production to prevent overstocking for the slow season in Q1’12. Global LCD TV production plans of surveyed LCD TV brands will fall to 13.4M in January. LCD TV panel suppliers will need to continuously control their capacity utilization in the coming months, even as panel prices stabilize.

Shortages of hard disk drives (HDDs) caused by the flooding in Thailand are expected to last until Q1’12, impacting production of notebook PCs and LCD monitors. In particular, NPD DisplaySearch foresees mobile PC brands cutting low-margin mobile PC production (netbook PCs or 15.6” mainstream models). “From the beginning of Q2’12, there is a possibility that mobile PC production volumes could increase significantly as a result of channel refilling and new 2012 model launches,” added Yang.

Monitor brands that have high attach rates to desktop PCs or have higher presence in the China market are being impacted strongly by the HDD shortage and the slowing demand outlook, while stand-alone monitor brands are less affected. However, in the China DIY (PCs built by consumers) market, demand is weakening due to increases in HDD prices.

In addition to LCD TVs, the NPD DisplaySearch MarketWise – LCD Industry Dynamics report tracks mobile PC and desktop monitor applications for large-area TFT LCD panels. The report delivers concise, relevant information for decision-makers who need to quickly understand the entire large-area TFT LCD supply chain. Presented in a dashboard format, the report highlights the status of every aspect of the supply chain, from components to the end-market, covering the ever-changing dynamics of panels, brands, capacity, production, prices and more.

For more information about the report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452 or e-mail contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional NPD DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan or more information.

SANTA CLARA, CALIF., December 13, 2011—In response to falling large-area TFT LCD panel prices in 2011, panel makers have minimized their 2H’11 production, but preparation for 2012 models and gradual clearing of supply chain inventories are encouraging panel makers to take a more positive stance in their production strategies. According to the NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area Production Strategy Report, global TFT LCD glass input peaked in Q2’11, achieving a record 42.1 million square meters, but then fell to 36.5 million square meters in Q3’11, and is expected to reach 37.8 million square meters in Q4’11.

In Q1’12, panel makers are expecting to increase glass input by 5%, to 39.8 million square meters. The forecast capacity utilization is 77% in Q1’12, which is 7% higher than previously expected. This is partly based on expectations that prices have bottomed out in this cycle. Also, panel makers are planning for new models, such as larger size multi-function monitor panels, ultra-slim notebook PC panels, new TV panel sizes including 39”W, 43”W, 48”W and 50”W with cost effective CCFL and LED backlights, and slim bezels. However, with 2012 market demand still unclear, panel makers foresee the possibility of adjusting capacity utilization again in Q1’12.

According to Shawn Lee, Senior Analyst for NPD DisplaySearch, “Increasing production does not necessarily increase shipments, as panel prices are close to cash costs in many cases. However, improved inventory and price outlooks, as well as the launch of new panel models, are leading panel makers to be more optimistic.” Lee added, “Other factors leading to the increased production forecast include the need to increase utilization rates in order to cover depreciation costs, and the fact that new panel producers in China are starting to ramp up their fabs, contributing to the increased input. Lee concluded, “After a long oversupply period, panel makers are still cautious about glass input and utilization rates, and they do not plan to increase utilization to more than 80% in Q1’12.”

Tablet Panel Production on the Rise, While Mini-Notes Slide

In mobile PC applications, panel makers plan to decrease production of mini-note PC panels while increasing production of tablet PC panels, with area production of tablet PC panels expected to double from Q1’11 to Q2’11. Panel makers are also reshaping their tablet PC panel production strategies, with Sharp using its Gen 8 fab to produce tablet PC panels with oxide TFT backplanes, and Samsung, LG Display, and Sharp producing tablet PC panels with more than 200 pixels per inch.

Other panel makers, including AUO, Chimei Innolux, BOE, CPT and HannStar, are planning to apply more production resources to tablet PC panels in 2012. Although Gen 5 and smaller fabs will mainly produce mini-note and tablet PC panels, more than half of these will be produced in Gen 6 and Gen 8 starting in Q1’12.

The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area Production Strategy Reportoffers the industry’s most complete view of large-area panel production by analyzing panel makers’ quarterly production plans. Subscribers receive production plans by application in different generation fabs, with granular detail down to the size by aspect ratio and by country. With 100% coverage of panel makers, the Quarterly Large-Area Production Strategy Reportprovides reliable information and insight needed to evaluate production strategies, understand current capacity, spot key supply trends before it is too late and manage inventory. Please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, e-mail contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional NPD DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan for more information.

About NPD DisplaySearch
Since 1996, NPD DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. NPD DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge and resources. In collaboration with The NPD Group, its parent company, NPD DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on NPD DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at www.displaysearch.com. Read our blog at www.displaysearchblog.com and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit www.npd.com and www.npdgroupblog.com. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.

Apple made a big splash at its iPhone 4S keynote with the introduction of Siri, the voice assistant Apple integrated into the iOS from its acquiring of Siri 18 months earlier. I remember when the Siri app first arrived and I dwell upon how little it worked for me when it was 1.0. Now that Apple was able to throw money, in both purchase and development, at Siri and has taken its time with presenting the updated version, I was excited to see what 2.0 would be like. Well, first we were told it was a beta, not a revised version. Second, it no longer would run on anything but an iPhone 4S due to the need for a hefty processor (which has since been proven wrong with the many hacks floating around the Internet.) But that commercial shown at Moscone Center definitely made it look like it was going to be the sweet deal nevertheless.

Now, I wasn’t expecting perfection from Siri when my white 32GB iPhone 4S arrived at my door step via UPS upon the day of release. No, I had used Android’s voice-to-text without much success and, again, the original Siri app wasn’t all that impressive. In short, my expectations were honestly low.

After removing the phone from its packaging and activating it on the third attempt – third time’s the charm, AT&T – I of course asked Siri if I would need an umbrella tomorrow even though it was sunny and in the 80s outside. Siri responded with the weather for the next week. My family and I then went on to ask it more of the silly questions such as what is the meaning of life and what do yo look like.

When it came time time to really test it, this is where the shine began to fade. I attempted to text my wife a short message to which it understood who my wife was but didn’t even have any of the text for the message. I tried again and then it got it. Well, most of it. The end of the message was just chopped off as if I hadn’t even said it and the last two words were incorrect. I chalked it up to a busy day for Siri as this was her/his debut.

Over the next few weeks, I used Siri in the truck, in my home, in stores, in offices. I used it in many different environments and pretty much received consistent results. Poor ones. My truck gave me the worse and I attribute that to the cabin noise since I have a large Ford F-250. My wife’s Yukon isn’t much better with its Flowise pipes so results were about the same there as well. In a quiet environment, such as my bedroom, the accuracy was improved but not by much. To gain near perfect accuracy, I found I had to be holding the phone near to my mouth, about a foot or two, angled with the mic toward me, and not to use conjunctions such as you’ll. When using this method, I obtained near 90% accuracy. But the problem with this is that it’s more like a lab than real life.

Let me be clear, I did not just use the iPhone 4Ses built-in microphone or supplied wired headset. I also employed the use of third-party hands-free sets such as my Alpine IVA-W505 (my review), SuperTooth buddy (here’s that review), and the Magellan Premium Car Kit (yup, reviewed that, too.) I live in California where it has some of the most stringent laws against distracted driving so I engage technology to help me be safe and avoid unneeded fines. In reality, one would presume this is the point of Siri as we watch the jogger run along the bay with Treasure Island in the background. Siri is our assistant when our hands and eyes are busy doing other things.

What it comes down to is the best place to use Siri is not the best place to use Siri. The most common place to use Siri, chatter filled offices or noisy homes, gives you the most common errors. I also found myself flustered many times when speaking to Siri and correcting myself mid-sentence and boy did that make things even worse. From what I gather speaking to my other Siri using friends, I’m not the only one that suffers from the same tongue-tie issue. Part of it is that our brain thinks we need to sound like a robot when speaking to Siri but the other part is Siri needs to recognize human short comings and prevail as well.

I have also noted the lack of punctuation. If I speak more than a single sentence, even with proper pause, Siri doesn’t get the period. It either ends taking my dictation or makes a run-on sentence. I have discovered that I can state the needed mark, such as period or question mark, but it doesn’t always get it. If I give Siri too much, either via the Siri interface or the Mic icon on the keyboard, it will simply double beep and translate what I have said up to that point. Sometimes, it comes up completely blank! This leads me to wonder about the articles I’ve read on ZDNet and the Sun Times by Andy Ihnatko that claim they dictated the entire article to Siri. I would sure love to see a video of that because I really do not think it’s possible without much interaction with the Home or Mic button. Maybe I’m missing something but Apple is well known for it’s ease of use and Steve Jobs was found of saying, “It just works”.

What it comes down to is that Apple has advertised something that really isn’t. Sure, these keyword tips help your accuracy but note how short the sentences are.

Going back to that jogger and the way he made a meeting so natural and so easy, this is what Average Joe and Mom Consumer will see. They don’t watch keynotes. So how much higher will their expectations be than mine? Apple has done well with its products in the last decade from the iPod, iPhone, and the iPad, and I’m certain Siri is what will set the next decade for Apple, but beta or not, Siri needs to get it and get it quick.

By Lindsay Sakraida, Features Director, dealnews

December is a month when you almost can’t avoid shopping. You may have skipped Black Friday, overwhelmed by the offers, hype and crowds. But the holiday season is a different beast all together, with gifts from loved ones, friends, and people you barely know, coming at you from all angles. Make the season that much easier and more enjoyable by shopping wisely. It’s always easier to cope when you know you’re getting a good deal.

That’s why we poured over the extensive dealnews archives of sales, coupons and individual products from the past few seasons to guide you in your quest for the savviest purchases in December. Here’s what we found.

Buy a Bike, Use it Later
For many of our northernmost readers, it may be treacherous to go bike riding in the winter, but you should consider purchasing a bike this month all the same. While other months might have seen greater volume of deals, we saw the most Editors’ Choice-level bargains during the month of December last year. Otherwise, the next time we saw a substantial number of deals and sales came in May.

Get Good Deals on Toys by Waiting
Finally, it’s the best time to buy holiday toys! Almost. As we’ve mentioned before, many toys will hit their lowest price points of the season the closer we get to Christmas. However, if the opinion of many friends and family members is any indication, most consumers are eager to get their toy shopping out of the way early. In that case, if you can just hold out until the 14-day period before Christmas, you’ll improve your chances of getting the best deals on these items.

Stock Up on Kitchen Items Once Again for Holiday Cooking
Last month, we noted that November was perhaps the best month to buy cookware, but the strong sales and discounts largely carry over into December, for about 20 percent more cookware and kitchen deals than average.

Even though the overall volume of deals last year was down in December from November, December held strong with Editors’ Choice-level deals, and even slightly edged out November in this department. Look for top offers from Macy’s, Kohl’s, Amazon, FoodSaver, Williams Sonoma, and JCPenney.

Tools and Hardware Deals for Dad
Last year, both November and December were excellent months to buy tools and hardware items, matched only by the month of July for Editors’ Choice offers. November this year however proved to be significantly less thrilling in this department, with about 50 percent fewer top-shelf deals. We’re hoping though that December will deliver like it did last year, with significant discounts on wrench and screwdriver sets, drills, lawn-care tools, and more.

It’s a Great Time to Buy Christmas Decorations! (After Christmas, That Is)
At this point, it’s almost common knowledge that holiday decorations see their greatest discounts after the holiday in question has passed, and this is no different for Christmas. If you wait until literally the day after Christmas, you’ll see discounts of 50 to 70 percent off from stores like West Elm, Home Depot, Sears, Crate & Barrel, and Macy’s. If you absolutely must buy a fake Christmas tree before the 25th, look to Walmart and Kohl’s for extremely inexpensive options.

Blu-ray Movies Make Budget-Friendly Gifts
As we noted last month, November — and specifically around Black Friday — is a great time to get inexpensive Blu-ray disc movies, but this good fortune extends into December. While we saw a slight drop-off in top-shelf deals last year (there were about 20 percent fewer Editors’ Choice offers in December than there were in November), the cumulative discounts were still much better than any other month for the rest of the year. That means movies and TV shows may be an ideal gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

Put Off Buying a Wall Calendar
You may see some modest discounts this month and early in 2012 that will entice you to purchase a calendar, but the first significant sales we’ll see on these items come at the end of January and beginning of February. (You can of course see even bigger discounts the longer you put it off, but you actually want to use the calendar, right?)

Bad Timing for Jewelry
Sorry, boyfriends and husbands of the world. As our Media Editor put it during last week’s podcast, “Big Jewelry” has you in a corner this month. Jewelry just doesn’t see its best discounts of the year before Christmas, so if you haven’t already purchased in advance, you might not be getting a great deal. You could always try to get around this by using a broad department store or apparel coupon and apply it to the store’s jewelry selection, if it applies. (Macy’s frequently excludes jewelry from these offers.)

Like Jewelry, Watches Don’t See Best Discounts… But There’s Hope
Just like jewelry, watches don’t see their best discounts of the year during the holiday season, likely because so many shoppers feel more compelled to buy them in December. But unlike jewelry, there’s a small trend toward decent deals for watches before the clock strikes Christmas. Around mid-month, we began to see a few Editors’ Choice offers that featured significant price cuts. Be sure to keep an eye on the deal-a-day sites that specialize in watches, like ChronoShark and World of Watches.

Time to Look into Top-Brand HDTVs
Black Friday is over, so it’s time to forget about TVs, right? Wrong. We saw some rock-bottom prices on numerous sets during the post-Thanksgiving shopping holiday, but many of the best prices were from off-brand manufacturers. And though we saw some choice name-brand deals last week too, they were generally more than their off-brand counterparts in the same size-category. But according to a recent feature, top-brand sets will approach prices that are comparable to Black Friday during the mid-December to February time period. It may be a good time to set an email alert for your favorite manufacturer and screen size, so you can catch those prices when they hit the site.

Opt for Desktop Replacements this Month
Despite its proximity to Black Friday, December has never been an ideal month for buying a laptop. In fact, dealnews data shows that for the past three years, laptop prices for a 15″ to 16″ dual-core system have gone up (from November) an average of seven percent in December. That’s not to say all hope is lost. If your Christmas list still includes a laptop you might want to check out deals on desktop replacements (systems measuring 17″ or more) as prices on those systems dropped 40 percent (from November’s lowest price) in December of last year. And with the influx of laptop deals we saw this past Black Friday, we wouldn’t be surprised if a few solid deals trickle into December. Just don’t expect them to be the year’s best.

Santa Clara, Calif., November 21, 2011—2011 has been a challenging year for the TV industry. Sluggish consumer demand in developed regions, like North America, Japan and Western Europe, has led to poor profitability on the part of TV set makers and panel makers. With supply chain inventory problems persisting well into mid-year, many TV brands cut back on their shipment plans for 2011 and reduced panel orders in Q3, which resulted in larger price declines for those core panels. The upside for consumers is more attractive retail set prices during the upcoming holiday season, particularly during Black Friday in the U.S.

“End-market demand has been weak in North America during most of 2011, with unit shipments falling around 4% Y/Y through the first three quarters of the year,” noted Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Research, DisplaySearch. “However, consumers, still quite sensitive to pricing, may be delaying purchases until the holidays when they expect to see the best deals. Consumers have learned this practice from observing previous holiday selling periods.”

According to the latest figures published in the DisplaySearch Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report, total TV market shipments were up 3.7% Y/Y in Q3’11 to 62M units, a 12% increase from Q2’11. This marks a healthy rebound from the 1% Y/Y shipment decline in Q2’11 and weak 1% Y/Y gain in Q1. However, orders for LCD and plasma panels used in the production of TV sets were both down in Q3’11, resulting in a somewhat lean inventory situation towards the end of the quarter. Many suppliers have taken a conservative approach to inventory for the holidays. Therefore, if demand is better than expected, there may not be much slack in the supply chain to fulfill restocking orders. This could potentially lead to some product shortages.

LCD TV shipments worldwide were about 1% better than forecasted, rising 12.9% Y/Y to 51.5M units compared to single-digit annual growth during Q1 and Q2’11. This is a good indication of improving demand in end markets. Retail prices for some LCD sizes are falling below key price levels, like $300 for 32” and $500 for 40-42”. The transition to LED backlights continues, but the rate of adoption has been slower than expected. LED-backlit models have not been able to pass the 50% level, accounting for 48% of total LCD TV shipments, with the vast majority of those being edge-lit models. Similarly, higher frame-rate models (120Hz or higher) have been mostly unchanged through 2011, representing about 22% of LCD shipments in the quarter. 3D grew to about 11% of LCD TVs, up from 9% in Q2. The slower growth of these two advanced features is indicative of a continuation of conservative consumer spending and reluctance to pay significant premiums.

Plasma TV shipments had shown increasing softness in recent quarters, declining 6% Y/Y in Q2’11 and falling 14% Y/Y in Q3’11 to 4.1M units. The decline in plasma TV shipments is the result of closer price competition with LCD models, leading to a transfer of market share at key sizes like 42” and 50”. In addition, poor profitability at plasma TV heavyweight Panasonic has led to a shift in focus to larger models and more richly-featured sets with less emphasis on price competition. Within plasma, 720p models account for about two thirds of unit shipments, but DisplaySearch forecasts a bigger shift to 1080p in the near future. Finally, 3D rose to about 27% of plasma TV shipments in Q3.

By region, China increased to more than 21% of all global TV shipments to become the clear leader in global TV demand. Shipments to China seasonally increase during Q3, ahead of October Golden Week promotions, but the level of share gain was substantial compared to previous years. The softness in consumer demand seen for developed regions led to much weaker growth than for emerging regions, with total unit shipments rising 12% Y/Y in emerging regions and falling 8% Y/Y in developed regions, and China is a major driver of the stronger growth in emerging regions. In addition, adoption of advanced features, like 3D, has performed better in China than any other region. In fact, China was the leading region for LED LCD TV shipments as well as for 3D LCD TVs.

3D Accounts for 11% of Total TV Units and 27% of Revenues

3D continued to see solid gains in shipment and revenue penetration worldwide, but the focus of those gains is somewhat surprising. Through the first three quarters of 2011, Western Europe and China were the leading adopters of 3D at 13% and 11% of total TV unit shipments, respectively. North America was initially forecast to be the leading market for 3D TV, but 3D accounted for only about 8.5% of total unit shipments. An unwillingness to pay much of a premium for 3D, and lower availability of low-cost 3D sets, compared to regions like China, have impacted uptake of 3D. During the upcoming holiday selling season in the U.S., 3D is not expected to be highly promoted. Instead, retailers will focus on large sizes with strong value pricing, but with lighter feature content.

Samsung Remains the #1 Global TV Brand, Leading in LCD and Plasma TV

Samsung’s global flat panel TV revenue share was up slightly in Q3’11 to 22.8%, a substantial lead over the #2 brand LGE. Samsung was the #1 brand on a revenue basis in every region, with the exception of Japan, where it does not sell TVs, and led LGE (a strong emerging market brand) in Asia Pacific and Latin America. Samsung was #1 in LCD and plasma TV revenues, #2 in CRT TV revenues, and was the only top 5 brand to post Y/Y growth in revenues.

LGE was the #2 brand worldwide at 13.1% with small Q/Q and Y/Y revenue declines. LGE was #2 in LCD TV and #3 in plasma TV, but continued to lead in CRT TV with more than double the revenue share of any other brand. Sony remained the #3 brand in global flat panel TV revenues during Q3’11, but saw a significant decrease in market share and posted a 13% Y/Y decline in total revenues. Panasonic and Sharp rounded out the top 5 with Sharp gaining revenue share on increased shipments of large sizes like 60”.

Samsung was the #1 global brand of 3D TV overall, accounting for all technologies, with 31% of revenues. Within the 3D LCD TV category, Samsung was #1 while Panasonic claimed the top 3D plasma TV revenue share.

DisplaySearch TV market intelligence, including panel and TV shipments, TV shipments by region, brand, size, resolution, frame rate and backlight type for nearly 60 brands, rolling 16-quarter forecasts, TV cost/price forecasts and design wins can be found in its Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report.

For more information on this report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, or contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.

About DisplaySearch
Since 1996, DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge and resources. In collaboration with The NPD Group, its parent company, DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at http://www.displaysearch.com/. Read our blog at http://www.displaysearchblog.com/ and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com/ and http://www.npdgroupblog.com/. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., November 15, 2011—Shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels were 185.5 million in Q3’11, unchanged from Q2’11, but up 12% Y/Y. Revenues reached $19.2 billion, down 2% Q/Q and 11% Y/Y. According to the DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report, panel makers are targeting a very modest 2% growth in shipments for Q4’11, as downstream manufacturers and brands are expected to prepare for the holiday season. Revenues are not expected to grow, however, because panel prices are still not showing signs of a rebound.

The TFT LCD industry has been in over-supply for six quarters in a row, and while panel prices rebounded slightly in Q2’11, it was only short term,” noted David Hsieh, Vice President, Greater China Market, DisplaySearch. “Q3’11 panel shipment growth has been hampered by stagnant economic conditions, especially for IT products and TVs. Panel makers did not achieve their goal of growing Q3’11 shipments 7% Q/Q, and slow demand has been eroding panel prices in Q3’11.”

According to DisplaySearch estimates based on panel makers’ shipment targets in Q4’11, 209 million LCD TV panels will be shipped in 2011, 5% less than the 220.8 million shipped during 2010. This would make 2011 the first year that LCD TV panel shipments decreased.

In Q3’11, only notebook and tablet PCs panel shipments increased Q/Q. As in Q2’11, tablet PC demand showed the strongest momentum, up 21% Q/Q and 246% Y/Y, while notebook PC panel shipments grew by 4% and 22%, respectively. Monitor panel shipments fell by 5% Q/Q, LCD TV panel shipments were nearly flat, and mini-note panel shipments fell 30% Q/Q.

With the exception of notebook and tablet PC panels, revenues were down Q/Q for all applications due to panel price declines. Monitor, mini-note PC, and LCD TV panel revenues fell by 5%, 34%, and 2%, respectively. For mainstream LCD panels, prices have approached cash costs of the panel makers.

The DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report covers the entire range of large-area panels shipped worldwide and regionally. The report analyzes historical shipments and forecast projections with 100% coverage of panel makers. Authored by industry experts, the Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report provides some of the industry’s most detailed information and insights. It is delivered in PowerPoint and includes Excel-based data and tables. For more information on this report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, or contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.

About DisplaySearch
Since 1996, DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge and resources. In collaboration with The NPD Group, its parent company, DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at http://www.displaysearch.com/. Read our blog at http://www.displaysearchblog.com/ and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com/ and http://www.npdgroupblog.com/. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.

Figure 1: LCD TV Panel Shipment Plans (units in millions)

SANTA CLARA, Calif., November 10, 2011—Over the past few months, TFT LCD panel makers have been controlling production to minimize inventories and reduce losses. Despite this, the DisplaySearch MarketWise-LCD Industry Dynamics report shows an increase in loading rates in October, to 75% from 68% in September.

The uptick in October fab loading rates mainly came from Korean panel makers, who increased loading to 84-85%, aiming to fulfill demand in October (the peak month in the year). The increase mainly stemmed from TV panel production to meet increased LCD TV orders for Q4’11, especially for Samsung. In addition, both LG Display and Samsung are increasing shipments to Chinese customers, with consecutive monthly shipment growth in November and December.

Taiwanese panel makers also raised their fab loading rates in October, but are only at a 65% loading rate on average and plan to operate at the same level in Q4, reflecting the cautious outlook of their TV customers and a prioritization of finances over market share. Japanese panel makers are still struggling with inventory issues and have made further cuts in fab utilization for Q4’11.

Loading rates differ by fab generation, with Gen7/7.5 increasing to 86% in October, up from a record low of 76% in September, and Gen8/8.5 increasing from 64% to 72%.

Large-area panel shipments, particularly for LCD TVs, are likely to show a peak in October and decline by 2% M/M in November before scaling down significantly at the end of the year.

The planned increases in panel shipments in October were encouraged by healthy sell-through results during the Golden Week holidays in China. There were hopes that TV sales in China would surge before the China home appliance subsidy program ended in late November, and that inventory rebuilding may be stronger than after Golden Week last year.

According to Deborah Yang, Research Director of DisplaySearch, “There is a risk of oversupply as loading rates are based on panel makers’ sales targets and on optimistic expectations rather than on a realistic demand forecast.” Yang added, “A decline in large-area panel shipments is forecast for December 2011 and January 2012, as the holiday demand will already have been met.”

The DisplaySearch MarketWise-LCD Industry Dynamics report delivers concise, relevant information for decision-makers who need to quickly understand the entire large-area TFT LCD supply chain. Presented in a dashboard format, this report highlights the status of every aspect of the supply chain, from components to the end-market, covering the ever-changing dynamics of panels, brands, capacity, production, prices and more.

For more information about the report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452 or e-mail contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan or more information.

About DisplaySearch
Since 1996, DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge. In collaboration with the NPD Group, its parent company, DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at www.displaysearch.com. Read our blog at www.displaysearchblog.com and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit www.npd.com and www.npdgroupblog.com. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.

The following is reprinted by permission from dealnews.  Original article can be found here. By Lindsay Sakraida, dealnews Features Director

Well dealnews readers, we finally made it to November, one of the happiest months for budget-conscious shopping. Many categories hit their lowest points during this month, usually around Black Friday (not surprisingly). But let’s not forget that the month is made up of 30 full days, not to mention the fact that daylight savings ends. (That gives us one more hour to shop!) That means there are deals to be had all month long, not just around the major shopping event.

Contrary to popular belief, however, November isn’t the best time to buy everything. That said, many product categories will see great deals — there are just a few caveats.
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In just three days after its launch on 14^th October, the iPhone 4S chalked up four million sales. The smartphone, announced by Apple earlier in the month is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France Germany, Japan and the UK. The iPhone 4S will launch to a further 22 countries by the end of October including Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Spain and more than 70 countries by the end of the year. No news yet on when it will be launched in China, earmarked as a significant area for growth by Apple and a fundamental part of its future strategy.

The sales of the new smartphone have outstripped any of those by Apple or any other mobile phone in a first weekend of sales. The iPhone 4S has sold more than double that of its predecessor, the iPhone 4 during its first three days and Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing has described it as the most sales for a mobile phone in its first weekend. iPhone 4 deals sold just 1.7 million units in its first weekend.

In America, demand has already started to outstrip supply. Reports suggest that Apple stores in North America are now only selling the iPhone 4S by reservation. In the US and Canada customers are directed to a reservation page on Apple’s website and then can pick up the phone the following day. Some stores are able to sell via walk-ins but supplies are dwindling.

One of the reasons for the increased popularity for the iPhone 4S in the US is the fact that is available on the country’s three largest carriers for the first time AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, attracting new buyers. AT&T said it “activated a record number of iPhones” on Friday 14th, and Sprint claimed “its best ever day of sales in retail, web and telesales for a device family in Sprint history. In the states the phone is priced at $199, $299 or $399 depending on the features and size of the phone selected.

In Australia, where the iPhone 4S first went on sale and Japan, sales have been high but could be stalled by a move from Samsung who have attempted to seek a ban on sales of the device in the two countries. Apple and Samsung have been engaged in a long legal battle involving their smartphones and tablet devices which came to a head earlier this year when a court in Australia temporarily banned sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The iPhone 4S has already had a positive impact at Apple. Shares in the company jumped 10 percent as online speculation suggested the smartphone was proving to be a hit with customers. Its stock reached $408.43, making it the world’s most valuable business worth $378.7 billion with Exxon Mobile Corp coming in at number 2 at $371.3 billion.

Despite all of this success there are still plenty of people who would like to get their hands on the latest iPhone but feel it is perhaps a bit more than they are able to spend on a phone in these harsh economic times. Do not worry though, as there is still away to enjoy features such as Siri without breaking the bank. UK mobile phone comparison website Best Mobile Contracts are offering the chance to win an iPhone 4S absolutely free. All you need to do is visit the competition page here and answer one simple question. One lucky winner will then be picked at random when the competition closes on November 15^th.

What is Apple’s Siri and should you be worried about your privacy?

Siri is a speech-recognition software application found on the iPhone 4S that acts as a “personal assistant.” As of right now, it’s only available in the iPhone 4S models, but it may eventually come to other Apple devices such as the iPhone 4 or iPad. Siri utilizes natural language processing to interpret questions and commands inputted through speech. There are two aspects of Siri that make it such a revolutionary technology when utilized on handheld devices such as the iPhone. First, its ability to interpret spoken natural language enables the user to give commands as if talking to a living person. This has potential to change the way in which we humans interface with computers.

Second, Siri is exceedingly observant and even learns, perhaps more observant than many of us have yet to fully appreciate. Siri knows what you ask, when you ask it, how you asked it, even where you were when you asked it; Siri won’t forget. As time goes on, Siri will grow increasingly knowledgeable about you, your associations, and your habits. The computing power behind Siri isn’t sequestered on your iPhone – it’s in the cloud and, therefore, everything it learns about you may be utilized in ways you never intended it to be. Think of Siri as omniscient personal assistant who serves each and every one of the millions of iPhone users at once. Although Siri has promised to keep your secrets – perhaps she’s even signed a confidentiality agreement – Siri may rely upon something she learned from you today to assist your neighbor tomorrow. Is this a bad thing? Well, maybe not, provided you’re aware Siri is doing this.

Siri’s ability to learn is perhaps one of the most exciting traits the technology has to offer, but it’s also potentially alarming if privacy is one of your top priorities. This is because of the way Siri relies on cloud computing to understand all of the data it learns about you, which includes information you directly input (such as a question or command) as well as other contextual data that you may not think you are sharing (such as your location or even your tone of voice). Siri processes and analyzes all of this information using an amalgam of applications, which include voice recognition and output software, natural language searching algorithms, and an iteration of Wolfram Alpha (a sophisticated answer engine) to generate a relevant and seemingly sentient response. Over time, Siri builds a contextual understanding of you and what it learns about you is ultimately stored somewhere.

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