LCD vendors such as ViewSonic and Apple are set to launch 17-inch widescreen LCD monitors by year-end or the first quarter of 2007, according to industry sources.
LCD monitor vendors expect 17-inch widescreen monitors to replace entry-level and middle-range 15-inch and 17-inch LCD monitors in the future. The prices for 17-inch widescreen monitors will not necessary be higher than 17-inch 4:3 models amid more efficient panel cutting by makers, according to the vendors.
Currently, LCD panel makers such as HannStar Display and China-based players have launched 17-inch widescreen panels in the market. A fifth-generation (5G) substrate from HannStar can be cut into fifteen 17-inch widescreen panels or fifteen 15-inch 4:3 conventional-sized panels, the sources said.
According to International Data Corporation (IDC), widescreen LCD monitors will account for 34% of the overall monitor market in the fourth quarter of 2007 with 19-inch widescreen monitors being the largest segment among all widescreen monitors. The proportion of 19-inch and 17-inch widescreen monitors will increase to 15.2% and 11.4%, respectively, by the fourth quarter of next year, the research firm added.
