日本三家面板廠最近完成整合，共同成立日本顯示器公司(Japan Display Inc.；JDI)，成為目前日本最新且規(guī)模最大的顯示器制造商。Japan Display是由Sony、東芝(Toshiba)與日立(Hitachi)三家公司的液晶顯示器(LCD)業(yè)務(wù)，結(jié)合日本官民基金“產(chǎn)業(yè)革新機(jī)構(gòu)”(INCJ)支助的26億美元于去年九月宣布合作成立的中小尺寸面板合資企業(yè)。
Japan Display正式成立當(dāng)天，剛好就是三星顯示器(Samsung Display) 正式展開營運(yùn)之日。Samsung Display是三星電子日前分割其顯示器業(yè)務(wù)后另行成立的子公司。三星公司的顯示器部門獨(dú)立而出，以及日本合資公司成立，迅速地為市場造就了兩家顯示器制造商，再加上LG Electronics，將成為全球最大的三家LCD制造商。
由于市場需求減緩以及平均銷售價格 (ASP)下滑，LCD市場一直難以實(shí)現(xiàn)獲利，顯示器制造商開始整合產(chǎn)線設(shè)備，尋求削減成本開銷。就在幾周前，另一家顯示器廠商──夏普公司(Sharp Electronics)才取得了全球EMS供貨商富士康公司(Foxconn Electronics)的資金挹注。(請參考：
鴻海成夏普最大單一股東，結(jié)盟為技術(shù)or訂單？)
然而，LCD市場已經(jīng)惡化，根據(jù)市場研究機(jī)構(gòu)IHS iSuppli公司表示，美國液晶電視(
LCD TV)市場出貨量預(yù)計在2012年將首次出現(xiàn)衰退：
“根據(jù)IHS iSuppli的美國電視市場追蹤報告，2010年美國平面電視市場出貨量為3,860萬臺，2011年的出貨量為3,910萬臺，僅微幅成長1%(CAGR)，預(yù)計2012年的出貨量將下滑至3,710萬臺，成長長率衰退5%?！?
“美國平面電視市場從未經(jīng)歷過年成長率衰退的情況，即使是在經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退的2008年和2009年。但這一市場衰退的現(xiàn)象就從今年開始出現(xiàn)了，顯示對于這個相當(dāng)成熟的美國電視市場來說，需求已經(jīng)達(dá)到頂點(diǎn)了。美國電視市場一直是由消費(fèi)者購買具有更新功能的電視機(jī)進(jìn)行汰舊換新所帶動的，這和世界上其它地區(qū)多半擁有一個尚未開發(fā)且充滿潛力的電視市場是不一樣的──這些新市場的買家們通常都是第一次購買平面電視機(jī)?！?
盡管整并將持續(xù)支撐起這一LCD市場，但它可能對于消費(fèi)者帶來損失。市場上存在較少的供貨商正意味著價格競爭較小，所以LCD的價格可能相對提高。三星公司已將明確表達(dá)其立場，未來將專注于下一代顯示技術(shù)，如有機(jī)發(fā)光二極管(
OLED)。OLED較LCD具有更多技術(shù)優(yōu)勢，如重量輕、功耗低以及能在塑料等可撓性基板上制造。盡管OLED目前仍極其昂貴，但I(xiàn)HS iSuppli的報告指出：
“由于制造良率以及供貨商少使材料成本高漲等問題， 預(yù)計在未來幾年內(nèi)， AMOLED 電視的價格仍將遠(yuǎn)高于LCD TV。2012年，55吋 AMOLED TV售價約為8,000美元，相當(dāng)于同尺寸LCD TV平均價格3,700美元的兩倍。雖然AMOLED TV能夠?yàn)橛脩魩肀萀CD TV更優(yōu)質(zhì)的視覺體驗(yàn)，但除非AMOLED價格能夠降低到約比LCD TV高20%左右的范圍，否則消費(fèi)者不太可能會大量購買?！?
與此同時，市場上出現(xiàn)最多有關(guān)于顯示器的討論，就是蘋果公司(Apple)的 Retina 顯示器。這項(xiàng)技術(shù)的專利由蘋果公司所擁有，但三星、LG與夏普均獲授權(quán)可制造 Retina 。LG與夏普據(jù)稱都難以達(dá)到Retina的產(chǎn)量需求，使蘋果公司在最新一代iPad 發(fā)布當(dāng)天即宣告產(chǎn)品缺貨。
編譯：Susan Hong
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
參考英文原文：'Big Three' Emerge in LCD Market，by Barbara Jorgensen, EBN Community Editor
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• 2012-2016年，數(shù)字標(biāo)牌與專業(yè)顯示器市場將穩(wěn)步增長
• 三星發(fā)布柔性AMOLED“Youm”，兩年內(nèi)將震憾市場
• 液晶面板用光學(xué)膜市場的起伏，2012下滑2014年回升Doiesmc
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LCD TVs growth switching to emerging markets
Nicolas Mokhoff
MANASSET, NY -- Flat panel TV growth this year is expected to be half that of 2010 with growth shifting from developed countries to emerging markets, according to market research firm DisplaySearch.
"As the household installed base for flat panel TVs increases above 50-60 percent, the growth rate slows, which is currently the situation in Japan, Western Europe, and North America. Emerging markets, however, are still ripe for sustained growth due to a low level of household flat panel TV penetration," noted Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Research for DisplaySearch, in a statement.
Japanese TV demand is falling sharply due to the end of government incentive, with the devastating March 11 earthquake likely to reduce demand further
Total TV shipments grew by nearly 18 percent Y/Y in 2010 to 248 million units. However, shipment growth is expected to slow to less than 4 percent Y/Y in 2011, as slower price erosion cools demand in developed markets.
LCD TVs continue to be the primary TV type shipped worldwide, and are expected to account for about 84 percent of all TV shipments in 2011. Worldwide LCD TV shipments will increase from about 192 million units in 2010 to almost 217 million units in 2011, a 13 percent increase. Total LCD TV shipments are expected to increase steadily, reaching 270 million units by 2014, according to the report.
Within the LCD TV category, several key features are gaining share as cost premiums decline. LED backlights will account for about 50 percent of the total LCD TV units shipped during 2011, penetrating a large number of screen sizes, especially above 40 in. Larger screen size sets are usually fully featured and focused on performance. As a result, performance-oriented features like high frame rate and 1080p resolution have much better penetration among larger screen sizes. 120Hz and higher refresh rates will account for about a quarter of total LCD TV units in 2011, but for 40”+ sizes, the share is more than 60 percent.
Emerging regions, which include China, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, will have the strongest flat panel TV growth over the next four years, averaging 17 percent growth each year. The Asia Pacific region is positioned for strongest growth as the late adopting India market begins to boom. By comparison, developed regions (North America, Japan, and Western Europe) will see no growth over the same time period.
The DisplaySearch Q4'10 Quarterly Advanced Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report includes panel and TV shipments by region and size for nearly 60 brands.
