DisplaySearch Releases Industry's First Small/Medium LCD Pricing Report

    AUSTIN, Texas--April 17, 2001--DisplaySearch, the worldwide leader in FPD market research and consulting, has released the FPD industry's first report dedicated to small/medium LCD pricing.
    DisplaySearch's "Quarterly Small/Medium LCD Pricing Report" captures prices for LCDs in the following applications -- mobile phones, PDAs, handheld PCs, digital cameras, video cameras and car navigation. High, low and average prices are provided for the current and previous quarter and forecasted forward two quarters for more than 30 different panels. The report covers the following display technologies -- monochrome and color STN LCDs, thin film diodes (TFDs), a-Si TFT LCDs and LTPS TFT LCDs.
    In addition to revealing prices by size and technology, pricing is also differentiated by resolution and gray scale. The report is available in English or Japanese and in printed or in electronic form.
    The first issue revealed that average small/medium LCD prices fell 2% sequentially in Q1'01 and are expected to fall 4% sequentially in Q2'01. Small/medium LCD prices are falling significantly slower than TFT LCD notebook module prices which fell 21% in Q1'01. Small/medium display prices are falling slower than large-area display prices due to higher customization requirements, spot shortages for certain components and less competition. Because small/medium prices are falling so much slower than large-area prices, more suppliers are expected to enter this market which will likely accelerate price reductions.
    However, as prices continue to fall in the large-area market and demand for price sensitive applications such as LCD monitors respond, a shortage may develop which will stabilize prices in potentially all markets. By application, car navigation displays fell the fastest in Q1'01 and are expected to fall the fastest in Q2'01 while mobile phone displays are expected to decline the most in Q3'01 due to significant growth in the number of entrants. By technology, color STN LCDs are falling the fastest in response to new TFT LCD and TFD entrants pricing more aggressively.
    According to DisplaySearch President Ross Young, "We are pleased to be introducing this report in response to strong demand from our customers. This report will enable system manufacturers to quantify current and future market prices and make more informed display size and technology decisions. It will also allow display suppliers to benchmark their prices vs. the competition."
    DisplaySearch will be displaying the "Quarterly Small/Medium LCD Pricing Report" along with the rest of its products at SEMI's FPD Expo Japan exhibition in Tokyo, Japan from April 18-20 at booth No. A-244. The "Quarterly Small/Medium LCD Pricing Report" is priced at $3,495 in print and from $3,995-$4,495 in electronic format depending on company size. For more information on any DisplaySearch product or service, please contact DisplaySearch at TEL: 512/459-3126, FAX: 512/459-3127, e-mail: info@displaysearch.com or Web: www.displaysearch.com.