New Realms of Use Open Up for LCDs of Enhanced Definition

摘要

Demand continues to soar for LCDs in various fields, including computer monitors, notebook computers, and new markets like personal TVs, multimedia monitors, and car navigation systems. Personal TVs challenge the moving-image display capabilities of LCDs, while multimedia monitors put LCDs' video and data functions to the test. The newest markets arouse strong expectations. In the face of these trends, Korean manufacturers are expanding their production capacities, and Taiwanese companies are getting ready to enter the market. As a result, the global production capacity for large-screen thin-film transistor (TFT) LCDs now totals 32 million units annually. However, certain conditions are curbing supplies of LCD parts, creating a bottleneck in the industry. Throughout this year, manufacturers expect LCDs to fall 10 percent short of LCD demand. They also predict that the supply of super-twisted nematic (STN) LCDs will remain tight for some time. Trends contributing to this situation include the rapid expansion of the mobile phone market, and the Japanese market's shift to color displays for Internet-capable mobile phones.