Phablets are hot products in 2013

iSuppli has forecasted shipments of phablets in 2013 are forecast to reach 60.4 million units, up a notable 136 percent from 25.6 million last year. iSuppli says expansion in capacity related to low-temperature polysilicon liquid crystal display (LTPS LCD), as well as the resulting reduction in prices for large-size, high-resolution smartphone displays, will enable vigorous double-digit-rate expansion for shipments of 5-inch-and-larger smartphones over the next few years, as shown in the figure below. In 2016, global phablet shipments are set to reach 146.0 million units. “The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products,” said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli. “With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer such devices makes perfect sense, especially considering the increase in rich content that is being made available on smartphones.” The other findings by iSuppli: Chinese OEMs Lead the Way Chinese phone makers took the lead in new product launches for the 5-inch-and-larger smartphone category at CES this year. Huawei Technologies showcased what so far appears to be the world’s largest smartphone, the Ascend Mate, with a 6.1-inch display, 720p high-definition (HD) pixel format at 361 pixels per inch (ppi). ...