120 Hz Panels Accounted for 31% of 40” and Larger LCD TV Panels in Q4’08; LG Display Led in LED Backlight Notebook Panel Shipments, According to DisplaySearch

Sort Date: 03012009

AUSTIN, TEXAS, March 1, 2009—Analysis from DisplaySearch’s Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report reveals the latest trends for 120 Hz (double frame rate) LCD TV panels and for notebook panels with LED backlights. Shipments of 120 Hz LCD TV panels reached 3.3 million units in Q4’08, unchanged from Q3’08. However, Q4’08 120 Hz panel shipments accounted for 16% of all 32” and above and 31% of 40” and above LCD TV panels, up from 15% and 27%, respectively, in Q3’08. Meanwhile, due to cost reductions and launches of new notebook PC models, shipments of notebook panels with LED backlights grew by 62% Q/Q, to 3.7 million in Q4’08 from 2.3 million in Q3’08. The share of LED backlights in notebook panels reached 13.4% in Q4’08, a big jump from 6.3% in Q3’08, and is expected to reach 24.1% in Q1’09. Table 1 summarizes shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels with these two important features.

Table 1: 120 Hz and LED Backlight Panel Shipments and Penetration

Source: Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report
*10.1” and 10.2” mini-note panels are excluded from notebook PC figures.

DisplaySearch’s results show that the penetration of 120 Hz grows as the panel size increases, because of promotion by panel makers and TV brands. In Q4’08, the highest penetration of 120 Hz appeared in the 52” and above segment, where 120 Hz share is 62%, followed by 43% in 46/47” Full HD, 32% in 37” Full HD, 27% in 40” Full HD, 24% in 42” Full HD, and 11% in 32” full HD panels.

Samsung led in 120 Hz LCD TV panel shipments due to the demand from its major TV customers, Samsung and Sony. LG Display and Sharp tied for second place in Q4’08. Table 2 shows 120 Hz LCD TV panel shipment share by supplier.

Table 2: 120 Hz LCD TV Panel Shipment Share and Major Sizes by Supplier

Source: Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report

Penetration of notebook panels with LED backlights reached a new high in Q4’08 of 13.4%, compared with 6.3% in Q3’08. With adoption triggered by lower cost and new LED backlight structures, estimates from notebook panel makers suggest that penetration will reach 24% in Q1’09. Many notebook brands—including HP, Dell and Acer—are planning to launch new LED notebook models in 1H’09, so the majority of notebook panels are expected to have LED backlights in Q4’09. In Q4’08, 12.1” 1280 × 800, 13.3” 1280 × 800, and 15.4” 1280 × 800 and 1440 × 900 were the leading sizes of LED backlight notebook panels. New 16:9 panels will largely adopt LED backlights in 2009. LG Display is the leading supplier, followed by Samsung and TMDisplay (Table 3).

Table 3: Notebook LED Backlight Panel Share by Supplier (Q4’08)

Source: Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report

The DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report is the only report in the industry to track 120 Hz LCD TV panel shipments by suppliers and size, as well as notebook panels using LED backlights by suppliers and size, on a quarterly basis. For more information, contact DisplaySearch at 1.512.687.1511 or sales@displaysearch.com.

About DisplaySearch
DisplaySearch, an NPD Group Company, has a core team of 59 employees located in Europe, North America and Asia who produce a valued suite of FPD-related market forecasts, technology assessments, surveys, studies and analyses. Visit the DisplaySearch blog to read about how our top analysts are interpreting up-to-the-minute issues that impact the display industry, and join us in this discussion about technology and the flat panel industry. The company also organizes influential events worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DisplaySearch has regional operations in Chicago, Houston, Kyoto, London, San Diego, San Jose, Seoul, Shenzhen, Taipei and Tokyo, and the company is on the web at http://www.displaysearch.com/.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys and wireless. For more information, visit http://www.npd.com/.