The penetration of thinner and power-saving light emitting diode (LED) backlight TVs may grow slowly to 2 percent this year and to 11 percent by 2012, because the economic recession and some technological obstacles could limit the growth, Taipei-based researcher LEDinside said yesterday.
In a forecast by WitsView, a liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panel research house, about 2.28 million units out of 114 million LCD TVs would be equipped with LED backlights, replacing widely used cold cathode fluorescent lamps as the backlight source, LEDinside said.
This year, LED TVs may make up only 1 percent of overall LCD TV shipments despite expectations that a growing number of LED TVs are expected to hit the market this year, the research house said.
Samsung, the world’s biggest flat-panel TV maker, said it started selling 40-inch, 46-inch and 55-inch LED TVs last month in Europe and is scheduled to sell a full line of its LED TVs, from 32-inch to 55-inch models, in Taiwan in June.
The South Korean company said its LED TVs could save up to 40 percent in power consumption compared with LCD TVs of the same screen size.
As prices for LED TVs were about 60 percent to 80 percent higher than those of LCD TVs, it would take a while for LED TVs to gain traction, LEDinside said, adding that there were technological barriers such as heat dissipation.
Though TV manufacturers have set ambitious goals in LED TV output, LEDinside held a conservative view about the LED TV market because high-end LED TV sales would be limited by the global economic recession this year.
NOT JUSTIFIED: The bank’s governor said there would only be a rate cut if inflation falls below 1.5% and economic conditions deteriorate, which have not been detected The central bank yesterday kept its key interest rates unchanged for a fifth consecutive quarter, aligning with market expectations, while slightly lowering its inflation outlook amid signs of cooling price pressures. The move came after the US Federal Reserve held rates steady overnight, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump to cut borrowing costs. Central bank board members unanimously voted to maintain the discount rate at 2 percent, the secured loan rate at 2.375 percent and the overnight lending rate at 4.25 percent. “We consider the policy decision appropriate, although it suggests tightening leaning after factoring in slackening inflation and stable GDP growth,”
DIVIDED VIEWS: Although the Fed agreed on holding rates steady, some officials see no rate cuts for this year, while 10 policymakers foresee two or more cuts There are a lot of unknowns about the outlook for the economy and interest rates, but US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled at least one thing seems certain: Higher prices are coming. Fed policymakers voted unanimously to hold interest rates steady at a range of 4.25 percent to 4.50 percent for a fourth straight meeting on Wednesday, as they await clarity on whether tariffs would leave a one-time or more lasting mark on inflation. Powell said it is still unclear how much of the bill would fall on the shoulders of consumers, but he expects to learn more about tariffs
Greek tourism student Katerina quit within a month of starting work at a five-star hotel in Halkidiki, one of the country’s top destinations, because she said conditions were so dire. Beyond the bad pay, the 22-year-old said that her working and living conditions were “miserable and unacceptable.” Millions holiday in Greece every year, but its vital tourism industry is finding it harder and harder to recruit Greeks to look after them. “I was asked to work in any department of the hotel where there was a need, from service to cleaning,” said Katerina, a tourism and marketing student, who would
i Gasoline and diesel prices at fuel stations are this week to rise NT$0.1 per liter, as tensions in the Middle East pushed crude oil prices higher last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. International crude oil prices last week rose for the third consecutive week due to an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, as the market is concerned that the situation in the Middle East might affect crude oil supply, CPC and Formosa said in separate statements. Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — rose 3.75 percent to settle at US$77.01
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