LCD-TV panel shipments to nearly double

By Jim Carbone -- Purchasing, 3/12/2008 9:16:00 AM

Expect more liquid crystal display (LCD) panel production capacity to be devoted toward large-size panels because of skyrocketing demand for LCD televisions.

Global shipments of LCD-TVs will nearly double from 2008 to 2012, driven mainly by consumer demand for flat screens and the high-definition (HD) format and falling prices, according to researcher iSuppli Corp.

Worldwide shipments will rise from about 100 million units in 2008 to 193.9 million units by 2012. That’s a 67% compound annual growth rate.

This explosive growth is being driven by widespread acceptance in worldwide markets. “Consumers no longer want bulky, heavy CRT-TVs that have inferior resolution,” says Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli. “Instead, they want space-efficient sets that can support the full-HD 1080p pixel format,” he says.

Growing demand could put a crimp in supply if LCD suppliers don’t invest enough in capacity to meet the rising demand. It could be an issue with LCD monitors used in computers.

More PC monitor panels are being used for televisions, especially for 15-, 19- and 22-inch sizes.
Also see: Prices for small and medium LCDs increase