14 March 2011

Penetration of LED backlights into LCD TVs to grow from 21% to 53% in 2011

Global shipments of flat-panel LCD TV with LED backlights reached a high of 16.6 million units in fourth-quarter 2010, with strong growth in edge-lit configurations, according to market research firm DisplaySearch’s latest ‘Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment–Advanced LED Report’.

Of total shipments of LCD TV panels, the penetration of those with LED backlights rose from just 2% in 2009, through 9% in Q1/2010, 19% in Q2/2010, 26% in Q3/2010 and 29% in Q4/2010, to 21% for full-year 2010. Correspondingly, panels with cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlighting fell from 91% of LCD TVs in Q1/2010 to just 71% in Q4/2010. Panel makers are targeting further rapid increases in LED-backlight penetration in 2011, from 36% in Q1 to 62% in Q4, for an overall penetration of 53% for full-year 2011. CCFL backlighting will correspondingly fall to just 38% in Q4/2011.

Chart: LED-backlit LCD TV panel shipment market share (Q4/2010).

“Despite some buildup of LED-backlit TV panel inventories in the second half of 2010, the industry has recognized that LED backlighting is an irreversible trend, with benefits such as lower power consumption and slimness,” notes David Hsieh, VP & research leader for large-area panels at DisplaySearch. “This has encouraged LCD TV panel makers to reduce LED backlighting costs continuously in order to increase shipments,” he adds.

The growing awareness of LEDs among consumers has encouraged panel makers to increase LED performance. DisplaySearch expects that LED penetration will therefore pass 50% and become the mainstream for LCD TV backlights.

Table: LCD TV panel shipments by backlight type.

“This does not mean that CCFL will no longer be in demand, as there are still many end users and emerging markets that are very price sensitive,” says Hsieh. “It’s important for the industry to maintain support for CCFL panels.”

In Q4/2010, the highest penetration of LED backlights in LCD TV panels was in the 50–60” segment. In particular, penetration was 76% in 50–54” LCD TV panels, 67% in 55–59,” and 87% in 60”+. In the 46–47” segment, penetration was 54%. In the 40–42” and 32” segments, penetration was 37% and 17%, respectively, says DisplaySearch.

Nearly all LCD TV panel makers are focusing on edge-type LED backlights in TV panels, with the exception being Sharp, which is producing direct type as well. LG Display led in LED-backlit LCD TV panel shipments in Q4/2010, shipping more than 5 million units for a 31.1% share. Sharp followed closely with 21.5%, then Samsung with 20.8%, and AUO with 14.2%. In terms of LED-backlit LCD TV panel revenues, Sharp and Samsung were tied with 27.3%, LG Display followed with 25.1%, and AUO with 13.9%.

See related items:

Large-size LED-backlit LCD panels to reach 67% market share in 2011

LED pricing pressure extending into Q1/2011

LED TV panel demand to rise significantly in January/February

Tags: LEDs LED backlighting LCD TVs

Visit: www.displaysearch.com

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