Two major events in the Japanese small/medium LCD industry made headlines in June: Sharp announced it would convert its large-area panel factory in Kameyama to produce small/medium displays, and speculation emerged that LCD operations owned by Toshiba and Sony would be merged into a new company. The stories also indicated that Hitachi may join the joint venture, and that the public-private Innovation Network Corp of Japan would invest $2.5 billion and be the majority shareholder.
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Category Archives: FPD Industry News
HP’s TouchPad Launch Includes Crucial Retail Store Feature
HP officially launched its $499.99 TouchPad tablet in the US on Friday, July 1. The PC maker is joining the growing list of competitors who are lining up to challenge Apple’s iPad and gain a foothold in a rapidly expanding tablet market. Similar to other competing devices, the TouchPad has received mixed reviews. Many have said that HP got the operating system and user interface right, but the hardware and the app library need work. Another area HP got right, at least for now, is the retail experience.
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If Panel Prices Aren’t Increasing, Will They Fall?
Without end-market demand to support continued panel price increases, our Monthly Large-Area LCD and PDP Pricing Report indicates that the increase in panel prices that started in April stopped in the middle of June. Panel makers had hoped that prices would continue to increase, improving their profitability, but the upside seems very short-lived and panel prices are still below costs for a majority of the panel models.
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Power Shortage in China Will Influence the Global Electronics Supply Chain
China is facing the prospect of historic power shortages as the summer approaches. Lower water flow in major hydroelectric power producing regions threatens to limit electricity production. The central part of China is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever, especially in the Yangtsu River region, the biggest source of hydroelectric power. A few days ago, Reuters reported that almost half of all silicon-making facilities in Hunan province in China have suspended production due to the lack of electricity.
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Explosion at Foxconn Chengdu Plant: Will it Impact iPad 2 Availability?
On May 20, there was an explosion at a Foxconn production site in Chengdu, China. Early reports indicated that there were two casualties and sixteen people wounded. Foxconn stated that the explosion occurred in a work area, but did not damage the entire building.
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