According to DisplaySearch, Austin, Texas, notebook-display shipments jumped by 82% in revenues and 26% in the number of units shipped last year. During 1999's fourth quarter, notebook-display shipments rose by 12% sequentially and 35% year-to-year. Also, the top five suppliers of thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD modules last year were Samsung with 22.7% of the market, LG Philips taking 16.0%, Hitachi at 13.6%, Sharp with 8.4%, and IBM garnering 8.2%.
Barry Young, vice president of DisplaySearch, says that the current $18.5 billion flat-panel display (FPD) market should grow by 25% and reach $70 billion in 2005. The CRT market, though, is only expected to increase by 7% over the same period. Consequently, FPD production will overtake CRTs in desk-top monitors in 2004. By 2005, it will account for 54% of the $130 billion total display market.
To meet accommodate this growth, the FPD industry will spend $2 billion to $3 billion annually to expand and improve its manufacturing capabilities. Specifically, suppliers are expected to increase their capacity by 426% by 2005.
For more information, contact DisplaySearch at (512) 459-3126, or go to www.displaysearch.com.