Taiwan Suppliers Benefited by Increasing MacBook Air NB Shipments

Taipei, March 5, 2008 (CENS)--Most key parts and the assembly works of Apple's MacBook Air, the world's thinnest notebook PC model, are produced and handled by Taiwan-based companies, according to industry sources.

AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), the largest manufacturer of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels in Taiwan, supplies LED-backlight 13.3-inch display to MacBook Air with a monthly value of NT$500 million (US$15.63 million at US$1: NT$32). Kenmos Technology Co., Ltd. and Nano Electro-Optical Technology Co., Ltd. (Nano-Op), Taiwanese suppliers of the super-thin backlight units for the 13.3-inch TFT-LCD displays, are also expected to benefit from increasing MacBook Air shipments.

MacBook Air is claimed to be the thinnest notebook PC model in the world with the thinnest and thickest parts of only 0.4cm and 1.9cm, respectively, compared with 2.0cm and 3.0cm for general counterparts. To match the super-thin design, Apple adopted the 13.3-inch LED-backlight TFT-LCD and an Intel-developed central processor model with a size only about 60% of a general dual-core counterpart.

According to related companies in MacBook Air's supply chain, each LED-backlight notebook PC display is priced at US$150 to US$170.

Market survey data showed that Apple sold about seven million PCs in 2007, up 30% from previous year, including about half notebook models. The smooth sales pushed up Apple's share of the U.S. PC market to 8% from 2% to 3% before.

LED Notebook PC (NB) Market Forecast
Category	2006	2007	2008	2009
NB Shipments	77.75 million	79.97 million	116.6 million	134.1 million
LED-NB Penetration	1.1%	3.9%	15%	35%
LED-NB Shipments	855,000	3.12 million	17.49 million	46.92 million
LEDs in each LED-NB	45	40	40	40
LED Consumption	38 million	125 million	699 million	1.88 billion
Source: Photonic Industry & Technology Development Association.