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Author Archives: David Hsieh

David Hsieh

About David Hsieh

David is the Vice President, Greater China Market for DisplaySearch and is a noted expert in TFT LCD and LCD TV research and analysis throughout Asia.
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Will Samsung Spin Off its LCD Panel Division? What are the Possible Impacts?

By David Hsieh – Vice President, Greater China Market and Yoonsung Chung – Director, Large-Area Displays & FPD Materials, DisplaySearch

Reports on rumors that Samsung Electronics is considering spinning off its LCD manufacturing division are starting to be published. There is speculation that such a spin-off could be the first step of a restructuring of Samsung’s display business, with the end goal, a new Samsung Display company consisting of Samsung Mobile Display (SMD, an independent company that is the leading manufacturer of AMOLED displays) and Samsung LCD. This new company could be the biggest display company covering the key flat panel technologies from small to large sizes. Continue Reading

2012 Brings Confusion about TV Panels and Backlights

By David Hsieh – Vice President, Greater China Market and Deborah Yang  - Research Director Monitor & TV, DisplaySearch

A half-year of falling LCD TV panel prices has driven panel makers in two directions: reduce costs or increase value. In a search for higher value, panel makers are launching several new sizes, including 36.5”W, 39”W, 43”W, 48”W, and 50”W. Meanwhile, in order to reduce cost and target emerging markets, panel makers are developing a series of new LCD TV panels that are largely differentiated by the backlight design, including direct-type LED backlights, thick backlights, and scanning backlights. Continue Reading

Samsung and Sony Close the S-LCD Joint Venture: What Next?

By David Hsieh – Vice President, Greater China Market, YS Chung – Director, Large-Area Displays & FPD Materials and Deborah Yang  - Research Director Monitor & TV, DisplaySearch

On December 26, Sony announced the end of S-LCD, their joint venture with Samsung, which entails Gen 7 and 8 TFT LCD fabs. The joint venture, which started in 2004 and was strengthened through agreements and investments in 2006, 2007 and 2008, was owned 50% (+1 share) by Samsung and 50% (-1 share) by Sony, and was the largest joint venture in TFT LCD industry. Continue Reading

Half of All LCD TV Panels Likely to be “Cell” in 2012

By David Hsieh – Vice President, Greater China Market and Deborah Yang  - Research Director Monitor & TV, DisplaySearch

As the downstream LCD TV OEM and branded TV manufacturers are becoming more integrated by establishing backlight and module assembly lines close to their TV set production sites, the integration of the LCD TV panel and LCD TV set assembly has been evolving rapidly in the past years. LCD TV set makers have adopted the so-called backlight-module-system (BMS) assembly model, which has the final assembly of the LCD module along with the set assembly. In the traditional model, set makers purchase LCD modules as finished components that are ready for assembly. In the BMS model, set makers purchase LCD “cells” (the LCD panel without backlight unit or driver IC with PCB) or “open cells,” which are panels with the driver IC and PCB, but without the backlight unit (so called because they look like a panel with open wings).
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