Flat-panel maker AU Optronics Corp (AUO, 友達光電) saw an increase in its global 4K ultra-high-definition display market share last month, according to a report from market researcher TrendForce Corp (集邦科技).
AUO’s global 4K panel market share rose from 8 percent in April to 9 percent last month.
Market analysts said that the increase reflected the firm’s increased efforts to promote its ultra-high-definition products.
Samsung Electronics Co saw its global market share of 4K displays rise to 43 percent last month from April’s 35 percent, while China’s BOE Technology Group Co’s (京東方) market share grew to 6 percent last month from 4 percent in April, TrendForce said.
However, Innolux Corp (群創) and LG Display Co recorded lower shipments last month than in April due to a decline in sales of 49-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch displays, TrendForce said.
The report did not give specific numbers on Innolux’s and LG’s sales and market shares.
Worldwide 4K panel shipments totaled 3.1 million units last month, down 2 percent from April, as Chinese sales weakened after the nation’s May 1 Workers’ Day holiday.
The penetration ratio of 4K panels in the global market fell to 13.6 percent last month from 14.4 percent in April. The figure still surpassed the 7.8 percent seen for the whole of last year and 8.7 percent for the first quarter of this year, TrendForce said.
Last month, 55-inch 4K panels drove market momementum, with market share rising to 31 percent from April’s 29 percent, while the market share of 49-inch 4K panels and 50-inch screens fell to 12 percent and 11.4 percent respectively, from 15 percent and 14 percent, the report showed.
TrendForce said that a market trend for consumers to buy more 4K TVs remains unchanged and that it expects the penetration ratio of the panels to rise to 17 percent this year.
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