LCD panel suppliers are gearing up for the promotion of 15.6-inch 16:9 aspect ratio panels as the next mainstream standard in the notebook market. PC vendors are expected to roll out products towards the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter, according to industry sources.
AU Optronics (AUO), Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), LG Display, and Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) are all developing the 15.6-inch segment, the sources said. Samsung Electronics was previously reluctant to develop a size so similar to the 16-inch Full HD notebook panel that it already carries, but is now also assessing the possibility of making 15.6-inch panels following requests from its clients, the sources said.
The sources noted that 18 15.6-inch panels can be cut from a 5G substrate, and 35 from a 6G one. Both AUO and CMO plan to process the segment at their 5G lines, with volume production slated for the second quarter. LG Display will make 15.6-inch panels from 6G substrates, and volume production will start in the third quarter, the sources said.
Samsung would probably use 5G substrates for the segment, the sources speculated.
PC vendors, such as Dell, Acer, Asustek Computer, Toshiba, and Lenovo all have plans to launch 15.6-inch notebooks, forming a new trend in the second half of the year, the sources commented.
Prices for 15.6-inch panels come close to 15.4-inch ones at about US$98-100, the sources noted, adding some panel suppliers are said to be planning to lower 15.6-inch panel prices to US$85.
Source: DIGITIMES
