Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) has introduced 19-inch widescreen monitor panels with a resolution of 1680×1050 in order to raise the added-value of its 19-inch wide segment, according to industry sources.
CMO, the first to introduce 19-inch widescreen panels, saw its monthly 19-inch widescreen panel shipments shoot up to almost one million units recently, the sources said.
With competitors stepping up production of 19-inch widescreen panels, CMO has now introduced the 1680×1050 19-inch widescreen monitor panels, the sources said, adding the new panels initially target the niche market, such as medical applications.
But as 1680×1050 is the recommended resolution for Vista, CMO is likely to introduce it to the consumer market later if it can offer competitive prices, the sources said.
Some panel makers previously predicted slow sales for 19-inch widescreen monitors because the only resolution available was 1440×900, which did not satisfy the 1680×1050 resolution recommended for Vista, the sources said. The makers thought that the 19-inch widescreen segment would soon be replaced by the 20-inch and 22-inch widescreen segments.
But demand for 19-inch widescreen monitors currently is strong, with the 19-inch segment accounting for the biggest portion of all widescreen monitor panel shipments, the sources pointed out.
According to DisplaySearch, the proportion of the widescreen segment will rise to 38.3% of all monitors in the fourth quarter of this year, up from 22.8% at the beginning of 2007. The 19-inch segment will remain the biggest for of all widescreen monitor panel segments through ht end of this year.
Article translated by Rodney Chan and edited by Michael McManus
