[Rebecca Kuo, Tainan; Jackie Chang, DIGITIMES]

The top five panel makers, Samsung, LG Display, AU Optronics (AUO), Chimei Innolux (CMI) and Sharp have been increasing supply of panels for 3D TVs and expect the penetration of 3D TVs to reach 20% by the end of 2011. AUO and LG Display have been the main suppliers of polaroid type of 3D TV panels while Samsung and CMI have been the panel suppliers for the shutter type. The competition between the two types will help to lower the price of 3D TVs.

Value-added TV products have become the main development direction for panel makers. The 3D experience has been seen as the main force to stimulate the demand for the TV market by panel makers.

CMI targets a shipment of 3D TV panels that will reach 20% of total shipments. AUO predicts 3D TV panels to account for more than 10% of the total TV panel shipment target. Other firms such as Samsung, LG Display and Sharp all set the shipments of 3D TV panels to account for 10-20% of total shipments.

Panel makers indicated the various keys to determine market share in the 3D TV market include show contents, image flickering, display clarity, price level, marketing strategies and health effects.

The sales of 3D TVs in China have been well despite many technical problems. The sales of 3D TVs accounted for 10% of total LCD TV sales in China during the Labor Day holidays in May. China-based TV brands also reported increasing sales of 3D TV.

TV brands such as LG, Vizio and Toshiba have been focusing on polaroid type of 3D TVs while Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Sharp have been focusing on the shutter type.

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