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Tony Huang, DIGITIMES Reseaerch, Taipei [Monday 5 November 2012]
Taiwan-based panel makers' large-size TFT LCD panel shipments are expected to approach 69 million units in the fourth quarter of 2012, an on-year decrease of 3.4%, due to an expected slowdown of IT and tablet sales during the time period, according to Digitimes Research. The large-size TFT LCD panels include 9-inch and larger panels while IT panels refer to monitors and notebooks. Digitimes Research expects that tablet demand will slow down in the fourth quarter due to the time period being a traditional slow buying season, adding to panel shipment decrease. Additionally, due to rising 32-inch LCD TV panel production capacity in China, Taiwan-based panel makers are cutting down their production of the panels and are focusing more on larger-size TV panels for use in the mid- to high-end TV markets. However, there will be less of a niche for those TVs in the fourth quarter of 2012 while entry- to mid-level TV set sales are expected to remain steady in emerging markets, added Digitimes Research. Meanwhile, most tablet demand in the fourth quarter is expected to be for high-end models such as Apple's iPad series, which means that Korea-based LG Display is expected to maintain a strong performance during the time period.
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