TAIPEI, Taiwan－ The global LCD replacement boom has started, and this year’s shipments are expected to reach 240 million units, which will be a yearly increase of 7.6%. The shipments are mainly expected to be televisions with 32-inch and 50-inch and above measurements as well as 4K2K televisions. Furthermore, in order to respond to continually rising demand, Samsung will expand its purchases of AUO and Innolux panel boards.
Last year, there were 223 million global shipments of LCD televisions. This year, with the replacement boom, this is expected to grow to 240 million units, which is an increase of 17 million units.
IHS DisplaySearch Vice President, David Hsieh stated that for the replacement boom, replacing 32-inch units with larger 40 to 50-inch units will be the most important, with 40, 42, 46, 49, 49, and 50-inch models being the most popular. For LCD TVs larger than 50-inches, 55,60, and 65-inch models will be the most popular. The market share will grow from last year’s 16% to 18%.
In addition, 4K2K televisions are important replacement units and are expected to grow from 1.6 million units in 2013 and 13 million units in 2014 to 32 million units in 2015, which is nearly triple.
Analysts also predict that this year’s replacement rate for 4K2K televisions will continue to grow, and the market share will grow from the single digits to the double digits as even higher resolution 8K4K televisions are introduced to the public.
David Hsieh also pointed out that among global brand name television manufacturers, Samsung LCD TVs have the highest shipment targets for this year of over 60 million units, a yearly increase of 22.4%. However, Samsung does not manufacture 58 and 65-inch panels or even 39, 43,49, and 50-inch panels, so it will expand its purchases from AUO and Innolux to an estimated total of 20 million panels, which is a yearly increase of 66.6%.
This year’s yearly television panel supply will be balanced during the first and second quarter adjustment of seasonal variations, and beginning in the third quarter, which is the high season for panels, supplies will tighten.
