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Demand for the 18.1” SXGA LCD Monitor for Large-size Computers is Growing Explosively
2001-01-14
Since last year when the LG LCD started mass production of the 18.1” SXGA for LCD monitors for the first time in the industry, it was in short supply because of the explosive increase in worldwide demand.
Compared with the CRT monitor, the LCD monitor has the advantage of high resolution, less space requirements, high visibility and low EMI. With these state-of-the-art advantages, the LCD monitor was widely accepted by the industry from the second half of 1997. The market demand was formed for the 14” ？ 15” level LCD monitor last year. Afterwards, as the demand for LCD''s with larger size and higher resolution, the LG LCD started the industry''s first mass production of 18.1” SXGA LCD in August, 1998. The 18.1” SXGA LCD is equivalent to a 20” CRT monitor. Demand for this product is dramatically increasing for workstations, CAD/CAM, dealing rooms at financial institutes, and medical equipment.
The LCD manufacturers have selected their own major size for the high-end monitor such as 17”, 18.1” and 20”, and used it for the development and market share competition. The 18.1” developed by LG LCD was finally selected as the majorly proper ssize of the LCD in the market place. The 18.1” was selected as the optimal size because it provided best dot pitch and wide viewing angle/high brightness. By applying the wide viewing angle technology called IPS, the LG LCD implemented 160。 left/right/up/down viewing angle and 200 nit high brightness at the same time. It provides good display quality for the high-end monitor since its response time is adequate for displaying motion pictures.
Only a limited number of manufacturers are mass-producing the 18.1” LCD. Among them, LG LCD supplies the largest number of units through the most stabilized development, production and process technologies.
The worldwide market size of 18.1” LCD in 1999 is expected to be about 200,000 sets i.e., approximately 10% of the total LCD monitor market. The LG LCD occupies about half of the 18.1” LCD market because it has received purchase orders for 100,000 sets.
Currently, the LG LCD records the highest production capacity (5,000/month) in the industry, but is only able to satisfy 60% of the total orders. This bottleneck is expected to be resolved from the 2nd quarter of 1999 by increasing production to 9,000 sets per month.
Together with the recent overall price increase, the price of 18.1” is four times higher than the 13.3”, which is currently the most popular size for notebook PCs, and three times better than the 15” monitor. Therefore, LG LCD expects significant improvement in profitability as the leading LCD manufacturer for the highly value-added LCD monitor through increased industry utilization of the 18.1" LCD monitor.