Global 3D LCD TV Market Likely to Reach Four Million Units in 2010

The 2010 global sales volume of 3D LCD TVs may attain four million units, while that of 3D PCs is likely to reach 1.5 million units, according to Digitimes Research. At present, vendors of 3D TVs use in-house produced panels. But Taiwan-based panel makers, with competitiveness coming from low production costs, stand a good chance of entering the 3D TV supply chain of Samsung Electronics and Sony in the future, Digitimes Research said.

Digitimes Research indicated that both AU Optronics (AUO) and Chimei Innolux Corporation (CMI) have the ability to produce 240Hz LED-backlit TV panels. Sony's 3D TVs use 240Hz LED-backlit TFT-LCD panel with shutter glasses, while Samsung has 3D technologies for both TFT-LCD and PDP. LG Electronics uses TFT-LCD with patterned retarder technology to create 3D images, but it may offer 3D PDP TV with shutter glasses in the future.

CMI currently is the major supplier of 3D monitor panels, but both LG Display and Samsung have started mass production of their 3D monitor panels, Digitimes Research said, adding that CMI and Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) are major suppliers of 3D notebook panels.

If one 3D TV needs 3-4 pairs of shutter glasses, demand for shutter glasses in 2010 may reach 12-15 million pairs, which may cause a tight of shutter glasses. Shutter glasses require two STN LCD with at least 120Hz frame rate, and over 200Hz frame rate for better display quality.

By Rebecca Kuo and Yvonne Yu, DigiTimes