81% of tablet display panel market captured
by LG and Samsung, says IHS
IHS iSuppli has reported that of the 81.3 million panels
shipped to the tablet space in 2011, LG Display controlled
the largest portion of the market at 46 percent, followed
by Samsung at 35 percent. IHS has quoted the information
in its small and medium displays market tracker report.
LG Display and Samsung Display won the high-profile designs
at Apple Inc. and Amazon that fuelled them to remain in
top positions in 2011. They accounted to more than 80 percent
of all the shipments of panels to the superheated market
for tablet devices.
LG and Samsung, the two South Korean electronics earned
81 percent of the entire tablet panel market in 2011. While
this was down from the 98 percent combined share they commanded
in 2010, the companies maintained a dominant portion of
the market in 2011. New players such as Japanese-based Sharp
Corp. and Japan Display, as well as AU Optronics of Taiwan,
will begin to gain share.
Six suppliers shared the remainder of the market, as shown
in the table below.
"LG and Samsung in 2011 retained their positions as
the dominant panel suppliers in the media tablet display
market due to their sales to high-profile customers, such
as Apple Inc. for its iPad, Amazon for its Kindle Fire,
Barnes & Noble for its Nook, and Research In Motion
Ltd. for its PlayBook," said Vinita Jakhanwal, director
for small & medium Displays at IHS. "LG and Samsung
became the majority suppliers of tablet display panels in
2010, when tablets re-emerged from obscurity thanks to the
launch of the iPad that year."
The tablet has established itself as one of the main forces
driving the growth of the market for small and medium displays,
defined as panels sized smaller than 10 inches.
Tablet panel shipments this year will reach 144.5 million
units, up 78 percent from 81.3 million units last year.
The solid growth predicted for this year follows the phenomenal
408 percent expansion in tablet display shipments in 2011
from 2010, when shipments were only 16 million units.
Among the various size segments in the tablet panel space,
the 9.x-inch category reigned supreme in 2011 with 68 percent
of the market, due mainly to the success of Apple's iPad.
However, the 7.x-inch category will gain increased traction
this year, especially if Apple goes ahead with an expected
7.x-inch iPad Mini to compete with similar 7.x-inch tablets
already on the market, such as the Kindle Fire and Nook.
Growth in the 7.x-inch segment will translate into a 36
percent share of market this year for that category, with
market share for the 9.x-inch declining to 56 percent, down
from 67 percent in 2010.
This year will also see increased diversification take
place in the tablet supply chain, with display suppliers
projected to operate in both high- and low-end tablet segments.
More panel suppliers are expected to enter the display business,
leading to increased competition.
Higher levels of competition will help to drive down panel
costs to OEMs and in turn increase demand and help sustain
growth for the tablet panel market, IHS believes.
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N
