Ultra-thin Notebook PC Panels
Ultra-thin Notebook PC Panels
by Quincy Liang CENS
Taipei, June 16, 2009 (CENS)--Apple has triggered another new waveof ultra-thin notebook PC with its MacBook Air, driving allfirst-class international counterparts to also follow suit in thethird quarter, including Acer, HP, Dell etc.
Industry sources said that all first-class brands have adopted orwill adopt ultra-thin display panels supplied by AU Optronics Corp.(AUO), the largest thin film transistor-liquid crystal display(TFT-LCD) panel manufacturer in Taiwan, with the whole supply chainexpected to benefit.
AUO, however, would not comment on customers and orders, butadmitted that it supplies panels to the world`s top-three notebookPC brands, including Apple`s MacBook Air.
Industry insiders pointed out that AUO developed the ultra-thinnotebook PC panel in 2008 and successfully became the supplier toApple`s MacBook Air. This year, the largest panel maker in Taiwanhas tied up with local notebook PC contract assemblers such asQuanta Computer Inc., Compal Electronics Inc., Wistron Corp. etc.to jointly promote the ultra-thin notebook PC models with majorinternational brands, who have responded positively. The ultra-thinnotebook PCs will be one of the hottest issues in the second-halfnotebook PC market, the sources said.
As the pioneer to push ultra-thin notebook PC panels to otherinternational brands other than Apple, AUO has taken a lead aboutone season ahead of its major rival Samsung Electronics and LGDisplay (formerly LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.). That means, industryinsiders said, the third quarter would be a great chance for AUO tomanipulate the ultra-thin panel market.
AUO`s ultra-thin panel is priced US$5 to US$10 higher thanconventional notebook PC panels, and the company`s large panelshipments are expected to generate lucrative incomes for thecompany. AUO registered revenue of NT$27.73 billion (US$853.2million at US$1: NT$32.5) in May, up 13.8% from the previous month,and shipped more than 7.77 million large-sized panels, equaling asimilar level a year earlier.
All ultra-thin panel-related parts suppliers are also expected tobenefit from AUO`s increasing shipments of such products, thesources added.
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