LCD overtakes CRT in European market in Q2 2003
SEPTEMBER 9--Preliminary data from Meko (www.meko.co.uk) DisplayCast market research indicates that the European CRT and LCD desktop-monitor market in Q2 2003 presented the major players in the region with a tough challenge. As LCD supply tightened and panel prices were pushed up, even some of the largest suppliers were not able to capitalize on what had been strongly rising demand for LCD monitors. According to figures from the company's survey of the market, the volume of monitors shipped during the quarter fell short of the expected 7.7 million units and year-on-year growth was only 7%, thanks to a significant drop in CRT monitor shipments.
Despite these challenges, LCD monitors continue to take share from CRT monitors, and for the first time, shipments of LCD monitors accounted for more than 50% of the market by volume. "Looking forward, we expect that LCD sales will continue to take more of the market by volume, but there is a significant shortage of 15-in. LCD monitors at present, and this will mean a slowdown in rate of growth," commented Bob Raikes, Meko's principal. "By the beginning of 2005, LCD monitors will account for more than three-quarters of the market. However, this growth relies on the ability of the panel makers to ramp up production at the next wave of fifth and greater generation fabs. To date, this has not proved easy, and this is one of the factors that allowed the panel makers to push up prices on some panel sizes. In addition, in the search for profitability, the shortage of 15-in. panels has been caused by the panel makers moving production to larger screen sizes for both monitors and LCD TVs."
Final figures for the Q2 2003 European monitor market have recently been published. At the top of the list again is Samsung, despite a year-on-year drop in sales volume of around 5%.
As has been seen in its PC shipments, Dell exhibited faster-than-market growth in the displays sector with a 32% gain year on year. HP was in third position following a drop of nearly 9% year on year.
Full details of the Q2 2003 European monitor market were published at the end of August. For more information, contact Bob Raikes at +44 (0) 1276 22677 or by e-mail at[email protected].
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