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.
Apple finally sent out the invites for it’s upcoming “Let’s talk iPhone” event. There is little doubt the next-generation iPhone will be the topic of this gala to be held at 1 Infinite Loops, Apple’s headquarters, in Cupertino, California. Most expect the A5 processor CPU, better camera, and graphic video improvements. Others feel LTE is a possibility of appearing in the next iPhone. Lately touted, Apple-purchase Siri speech-to-text technology called Assistant looks to be on the agenda as well. Still, some think the iPhone will be larger based on leaked photos of upcoming cases like the one pictured above with the current iPhone sitting inside the case with plenty of wiggle room.
First reports of the larger screen seemed to point to Apple responding to the larger Motorola and HTCs that hit Verizon stores in the last few months. In classic Apple style, it didn’t make it too large as to be obnoxious, was the reason. That may be true, but I started thinking about it and wondered why, if these pictures are to believed, would Apple make the next iPhone just a bit larger? It certainly wouldn’t be for the screen. The minor bump in size would be minimal and most likely even unnoticeable in real world use.
I looked at the picture of the case again and thought, “While that’s not much space at all, if you filled it up with something like lithium-ion, then that could be a LOT of space.” You know, the active component of a rechargeable battery? It makes perfect sense when you pop open an iPad and see the majority of it is a battery and because of that, iPads can run all day long without breaking a sweat. The iPhone has been plagued with weak battery life since its inception and while the iPhone 4 claims the best performance yet, I know many users who have said that their 3GS had better life! iFix-it and the likes found little difference in the iPhone 5s battery.
So, if Apple could make a larger footprint, just a wee bit larger, and use it all for a battery, it’s very possible to gain a substantial about of battery life. I could easily see a 50% increase over the iPhone 4 with the added room seen in the next-generation iPhone case. If components used internally shrink, such as memory, then that’s even more room. Moving things around to better pack the board would also give some net gains. Thus, it’s quiet possible we could hear Tim Cook tell us October 4th that the newest iPhone has double the batter life of its predecessor.
Of course, if the larger size is in fact a done deal, the growth could be for other things like an LTE radio, better antenna, or even more memory, though I doubt the latter. But, I really do think we could be finally getting a smartphone that lasts all day. Boy, I really hope so.
TFT LCD Shipments for Automotive Monitor & Portable Navigation Devices (2009-2010)
In the first half of 2010, TFT LCD shipments for automotive monitor applications were more than twice the levels of the first half of 2009. Specifically, shipment growth was 143% Y/Y from Q1’09 to Q1’10 and 125% Y/Y from Q2’09 to Q2’10. TFT LCD shipments for portable navigation devices also experienced a strong rebound in the first half of 2010, up 72% Y/Y from Q1’09 and 96% Y/Y in Q2’10. Strong growth is forecast for the second half of 2010 in both segments.
“The forecasted growth in navigation and GPS in the automotive market presents significant opportunities for TFT LCD manufacturers in the near future,” noted Hiroshi Hayase, lead analyst for small and medium displays. “In addition, the emergence of hybrid and electric cars is driving demand for energy-efficient automotive monitors that support energy efficiency and safety efforts.”
According to DisplaySearch results, 70% of TFT LCD automotive monitors are produced by Japanese LCD manufacturers, while 60% of TFT LCD portable navigation devices are from Taiwan LCD manufacturers. The demand for automotive displays has had a positive effect on manufacturers in these regions. For example, Japanese manufacturers of automotive displays have been operating at full capacity in 2010, and some car navigation products have been delayed due to the tight supply of automotive TFT LCDs.
The market outlook for automotive and PND TFT-LCD shipments is covered in the DisplaySearch Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report, which provides results of all FPD shipments for the automotive market, including automotive monitor LCD and PND LCD shipments. The report also tracks shipments of all flat panel display technologies such as TFT LCD, PM LCD, AM, PM OLED and EPD for all applications using FPDs up to 9.0”. EPD reporting also includes displays for e-books over 9”, including market share of e-books by size and resolution. The report also provides comparisons between applications, suppliers, size, resolution and pricing for FPD technologies using panels that are 9.0” or smaller. This report is delivered in PowerPoint and includes Excel pivot tables.
In addition, DisplaySearch has released the 2010 edition of its Automotive Displays Report. This comprehensive report contains detailed historical and forecast data for all displays used in automobiles, including navigation displays, monitors, and in console displays. Display technologies covered include LCD (liquid crystal display) broken down into TFT (both amorphous-silicon and low temperature polysilicon), passive matrix, twisted nematic, vertical alignment, super twisted nematic (both monochrome and color), as well as OLED (organic electroluminescent display), both passive and active matrix. The report includes automotive and PND display shipments by supplier, as well as value chain information for each application. Forecasts of the automotive display market by screen size through 2014 are also included.
“North America LCD TV sales have been weak in 2010 so far, falling 3% Y/Y on a unit basis during the first half of the year,” noted Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Research for DisplaySearch. “Continued economic pressure, mostly in the form of high unemployment and a weak housing market, have combined with a sharp slowdown in the pace of average price erosion have pushed consumers to the sidelines as they wait for the economy to improve, prices to fall further, or both,” noted Gagnon.
LCD remains the dominant TV technology worldwide, accounting for at least half of all TV shipments in nearly every region. Although sales resulting from the World Cup were somewhat disappointing in Europe, and the resulting elevation of inventory at the end of summer will slow growth down in the second half, solid growth in other markets like Japan, China, Latin America, and Asia Pacific will offset this weakness and contribute to 20% Y/Y growth during the second half of 2010.
At the same time, LCD TV street prices are expected to start falling more vigorously in Q4’10, especially for LED-backlit LCD TVs as an oversupply of LCD TV panels resulted in falling panel costs during Q3’10. Consumers are very interested in LED LCD TV technology, but premiums were very high in early 2010. Manufacturers have greatly increased the assortment of LED LCD TVs in their line-ups, and consumers still seem to be waiting for premiums to fall on LED-backlit models. Sales of lower-priced CCFL-backlit LCD TVs continue to decline despite having much lower prices. DisplaySearch projects that average LED LCD TV prices will fall at twice the rate of CCFL LCD TV prices during Q4’10. This should cause an improvement in growth rate, particularly for North America.
DisplaySearch expects LED LCD TVs to account for the majority of LCD TV shipments in 2011, as the cost premium reduces quickly and manufacturers continue to transition their LCD TV lineups away from older CCFL technology. More than 50% of LCD TV shipments will be based on LED backlight technology in 2011, up from 20% in 2010.
Demand for plasma TV continues to be robust, as LCD TV price declines have slowed while plasma TV has maintained similar rates of price erosion. The result is that plasma TV shipments are now expected to approach 18 million units in 2010, a 25% increase from 2009, even though shipments actually declined Y/Y.
According to Hisakazu Torii, DisplaySearch Vice President of TV Research, “Because of the very strong pricing advantage of large screen sizes and large improvements in power consumption and thinness, plasma TV continues to be a key display technology in the TV category, especially among a base of fans that favor this technology for picture quality and 3D performance.”
The DisplaySearch Q3’10 Quarterly Advanced Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report includes panel and TV shipments by region and by size for nearly 60 brands. Also included are rolling 16-quarter forecasts, TV cost/price forecasts, and design wins. This report 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. You can also contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.
“With the increasing adoption of flat-panel display TVs, consumers expect larger screen sizes with advanced performance at a good value,” said Bob Scaglione, senior vice president and group manager, Product and Marketing Group, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “The addition of the 65-inch class E77 series LCD TV and introduction of a new screen size class at 60 inches enables more consumers to bring home large-screen TVs.”
The LC-65E77UM and LC-60E77UN employ Sharp’s Advanced Super View (ASV) Superlucent Panel for a dramatically bright and crisp picture with reduced haze and reflectivity. They also feature Sharp’s Fine Motion Enhanced technology for 120Hz Frame Rate Conversion and a fast pixel response time of 4ms, providing the ultimate medium for high-definition viewing of fast-action imagery.
The ASV Superlucent panel applies an ultra-smooth finish that minimizes haze while intensifying panel brightness and contrast. The ASV Superlucent panel with Spectral Contrast Engine XD provides high contrast, enabling deep blacks and vibrant colors, and a special dejudder feature results in the smooth reproduction of film content.
Two components of the Spectral Contrast Engine, Optical Picture Control (OPC), which automatically adjusts luminance to room brightness and lighting conditions, and Brightness Preservation picture processing, also make these models very energy-efficient. In fact, all models in the E77 series exceed the EPA’s Energy Star criteria. An advanced Power Savings mode is easily accessed through a dedicated remote control button.
The large-screen E77 series provides a stunning picture and a new design sure to complement any décor. The black cabinet blends elegantly into a soft champagne gold hue that accents the bottom of the frame, befitting both modern and traditional design schemes. These AQUOS models also come equipped with a full array of connectivity options, including four HDMI™ and two component video inputs, all of which are 1080p compatible, accepting signals from Blu-ray Disc™ players and advanced gaming devices. A dedicated PC input and RS-232 port for custom installations add to the feature set.
The complete E Series includes models in 65- (64 33/64” Diagonal), 60- (60-1/32” diagonal), 52- (52-1/32” diagonal), 46- (45-63/64” diagonal) and 40-inch (40” diagonal) screen class sizes (LC-65E77UM, LC-60E77UN, LC-52E77UN, LC-46E77UN and LC-40E77UN respectively), as well as the 40-inch class LC-40E67UN (40” diagonal).
Pricing and availability
The LC-65E77UM is available now for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $4,499.99
The LC-60E77UN is available now for a MSRP of $3,499.99
Now you could probably guess my excitement last week during the Keynote when Steve Jobs announced movie rentals…in High Definition (HD). Two great things that I had been longing for and here they were, right before me. Yes! But I also noticed that Apple’s CEO mentioned this during the Apple TV update and made no stipulation to if the HD would be on both AppleTV and iTunes. I guess raising my hand for a clarification would go unnoticed, so off to the Apple booth I went to find someone who could answer that. After bouncing off a few Apple employees, I finally found one who could answer my question. The answer, “No iTunes support.” Well, would it ever come to iTunes I begged? “I don’t know. Maybe.” Joy.
Here’s the deal with HD and AppleTV. The upgrade supports Dolby 5.1, common to HD set-ups but not exclusive in addition to the menus and other additions. Apple must feel that that coupled with the fact most watch movies from their couch in the living room (or their bed in the bedroom), support for us Mac users isn’t needed. But the thing is, a vast majority of DVD players and HD players (Blu-ray or HD-DVD) aren’t hooked up to audio systems taking advantage of the bliss of digital sound coming from the discs or to even attached to HDTVs (initial install base is at single digits.) Expect similar results out of Apple TV 2.0. Further added frustration to this thought is that Apple’s own web page states, “Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound is not available with all HD rentals.”
Another interesting hitch to all of this is the fact that current Apple TV owners will be able to upgrade their firmware and receive HD content without the ability to hear that 5.1 sound. (Kinda kills the audio argument for Apple at this point, I guess.) Erg.
Looking to the visual aspect, what makes a plasma or LCD TV more special than my 30 inch Cinema HD display? Let me repeat my monitors name, Cinema HD. Um, don’t you think, Steve, that my Cinema HD device is just a wee-bit perfect for HD movies? In fact, I’d say it’s freakin’ over kill it’s so good!
So where’s the HD in iTunes, then? I don’t have to have 5.1 audio support, but it’d be nice to have it and with many after-market sound card options, Dolby’s theater performance isn’t an issue. Dying to push my Cinema HD screen to its limits, I’m tired of SD (Standard Definition) content on my lovely screen that I nearly had to hock my first born for to afford it. Give me something, Steve. What gives?
My only hope is my thinking that Apple TV 2.0 gets HD first to push more of Steve’s “hobby” off the shelf. Once the sales are serious enough for Steve to be pleased with them, I think we will see HD on iTunes and finally on my Cinema HD display.
Digital Foci, Inc. announced today “Pocket Album,” a digital keychain photo viewer with a 1.5-inch color LCD screen that lets you carry your favorite photos right in your pocket to share and relive your photo moments wherever you go. Pocket Album holds a selection of up to 74 pictures with its 8MB internal memory. Photos can be viewed by scrolling manually or through an automatic photo slideshow with adjustable slideshow intervals.
Pocket Album includes user-friendly Photo Viewer Software that makes it easy to convert JPG or BMP images from your computer to Pocket Album. You can crop and rotate any photos you wish to transfer, and then automatically resize the photos for optimal storage and display on the digital keychain. The perfect sentimental gift, you can even preload precious photo moments on Pocket Album to give to friends and family for the holidays.
Pocket Album runs on Lithium-ion batteries with up to 9 hours of battery life. The batteries can be easily recharged with the included AC adapter or with the USB cable by connecting it to your computer. Pocket Album also features a built-in clock with automatic on/off timer. LCD contrast is adjustable for choosing your optimal viewing angle.
Pocket Album Features:
- Holds up to 74 digital photos with 8MB internal flash memory.
- 1.5” color LCD screen.
- 9 hours of battery life on Lithium-Ion batteries.
- LCD contrast adjustable for choosing optimal viewing angle.
- Builds automatic photo slideshows with adjustable time intervals or photos can be scrolled manually.
- Built-in clock with automatic on/off timer.
- Photo Viewer Software is included for converting JPG & BMP images from the computer to Pocket Album (compatible with Windows Vista/XP/2000, Mac 10.x or later).
- Software crops and rotates photos before automatically resizing them for optimal storage and display.
- Easily recharges battery with the included AC adapter or with the included USB cable by connecting it to your computer.
- Compact and lightweight design makes it convenient to carry.
Priced at $39.95, the Pocket Album digital keychain measures 2.2” x 1.6” x 0.5” and weighs only 1.2 oz. It is available in Black, Silver, and Blue and includes a USB cable, USB-AC Adapter, Resource Disc, Photo Viewer Software, and User’s Guide. Pocket Album is available immediately and is compatible with both Windows and Mac. For more information, see www.digitalfoci.com or http://www.digitalfoci.com/pocket_album.html.
This month, ViewSonic launches four new value-priced displays that further enhance its position as a leader in display technology innovation.
“These latest displays reflect ViewSonic’s ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of the small business and education markets,” said Jeff Volpe, vice president of marketing, ViewSonic Americas. “Our VA Series of displays deliver the features and performance to make the most of a customer’s technology budget.”The four new displays include the 19-inch VA916 and VA926, traditional 4:3 displays, the 20-inch VA2026w and the 22-inch VA2226w – both widescreen displays that bring panoramic viewing for multiple documents and HD video content to the desktop. The dramatic increase in viewing area on the widescreen allows users to navigate between multiple windows and applications in less time and with greater ease, expanding virtual desktop space without sacrificing physical desk real estate.
All displays are Windows Vista™ certified, and incorporate a stylish, thin-bezel design and a clean cable management system. Each display also includes additional features: Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, now Altec Lansing has just released the inMotion iMV712, I’ve got to ask, “Where’s the car video version?” Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, they all have iPod connectors now. Most after-market radios do, period. Now with album art as the new big thing to show on the display, why can’t we just get the whole video on these screens? Altec Lansing has proven that it can be done no problem as have other brands with home docks that also produce video on TV screens from a cradled iPod. So what gives?
For the last few months, I’ve been wondering why this hasn’t happened. I know there isn’t any technical difficulties to work around especially since now Altec has shown us that it can be done. With the prevalence of LCD screens in cars and SUVs everywhere today, this just makes SO much sense to do. In fact, the first company to do it will probably sell tons of units. So where are they Alpine? Sony? Pioneer? Clarion? Eclipse? You all pioneered the LCD screen in cars so won’t one of you pioneer iPod video in the vehicle?