Flat panel revenues to be on low gear

SEOUL: Global flat panel display revenue is expected to grow 8 percent in 2007, slowing from the estimated

14 percent increase in 2006, as rapid price declines offset booming growth in demand, U.S. research firm

DisplaySearch said.

As producers and retailers battle for market share, panel prices have fallen sharply and as a result led

explosive demand growth, DisplaySearch said in a report distributed on Friday.

"The significant pricing pressure in most applications will cause total flat panel display revenues to rise just 8

percent in 2007 to $92 billion," it said.

Flat panel display revenue in 2006 is estimated at $85.5 billion, up 14 percent. Demand for large flat-screen

televisions has led the growth, with the TV market seen accounting for 36 percent of all flat panel revenue last

year.

In 2007, the total TFT-LCD (thin film transistor-liquid crystal display) market is expected to grow 11 percent to

$77.5 billion, capturing an 84 percent share of the flat panel display market, DisplaySearch predicted.

PDP (plasma display panel) revenue is expected to be flat from $7.7 billion in 2006, due to sharp price

declines at the largest sizes where PDPs are growing the fastest.

By product, DisplaySearch estimated LCD TV display revenue in 2006 at $22.5 billion, up 85 percent. Plasma

TV display saw revenue rising 28 percent to $7.2 billion.

But revenues for desktop computer monitors and notebook PC screens likely fell 8 percent and 2 percent,

respectively, to $19.5 billion and $9.1 billion, due to price falls from rising supply, the research firm said.