Samsung Electronics Co, the world's biggest liquid-crystal display maker, and rivals may ship more flat panels in the second half as a drop in computer and television prices stokes demand, iSuppli said.
Global shipments of LCD panels measuring 10 inches or more diagonally will probably rise 9 percent in the third quarter from three months earlier and gain a further 11 percent in the last quarter, industry research company iSuppli said in a report on Tuesday.
Demand for panels is likely to surge as television makers cut product prices and notebook computer companies make models with bigger screens, iSuppli said. About 49.5 million panels will be shipped for televisions, 135.1 million for computer monitors, and 75.9 million for notebooks this year, iSuppli said.
"Lower ... prices are expected to boost demand considerably, especially during the holiday season," Sweta Dash, director of LCD and projection research at iSuppli, wrote in the report.
Samsung Electronics maintained its No. 1 position among LCD makers, with a 20.4 percent market share last quarter, rising from 20.2 percent three months earlier, iSuppli said.
The share of LG.Philips LCD Co, the second-biggest LCD maker, increased to 18.4 percent in the second quarter, from 17.7 percent in the first. Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp (友達光電), the No. 3 producer, had a share of 15.9 percent, up from 14.9 percent.
ISuppli also expects panel prices to rise through the second half of this year on "tighter" supply. LG.Philips in June cut production after soccer's World Cup spurred less-than-expected sales, causing a glut that pushed down prices. AU Optronics and Hannstar Display Corp (
"It's not just the PC side; some suppliers already are reporting tight supply for 32-inch television panels as well," Dash said.
"LCD-TV panel supply is also going to be tight as demand increases for the holiday season and consumers continue to make the upgrade" from bulkier cathode-ray tube televisions, he said.
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