Price Fall of Large-sized TV Panels Eases in 2nd Half of 2007: DisplayBank

Taipei, Feb. 5, 2008 (CENS)--The price decline in large-sized TV panels has eased since the second half of 2007, according to Displaybank, a South Korea-based display market research firm.

According to DisplayBank's latest PDP Module Manufacturing Cost Analysis Forecasts report, the upturn in demand for information technology (IT)-use LCD panels coupled with the tight supply have pushed up the prices of 32-inch LCD TV panels. Price falls of 40-inch panels have also slowed down, DisplayBank said, resulting in a stabilization of plasma display panel (PDP) module prices.

After staying flat since the second half of 2007, prices for 42-inch panels edged up by US$5 in November and surged further by 5% in January this year due to the seasonal factor, DisplayBank said. Therefore, SD and HD panels were sold at prices of US$370 and US$375, respectively, in January. On the other hand, 50-inch PDP module prices have become stable, and prices for the same size of LCD panels are relatively higher, indicating that the price decline of the newly launched 50-inch full-HD panel is very slow.

Prices for 42-inch HD PDP and LCD panels were US$452 and US$545 in December 2007, the research firm said, while that of 50-inch PDP and LCD panels were US$973 and US$1,250, indicating a 28%-lower price advantage gained by PDP over LCD counterparts.

In 2008, PDP module prices are expected to remain stable, and prices for 42-inch and 50-inch HD modules would slide by 11% and 19%, respectively, DisplayBank's researcher Jusy Hong forecast.

LG Electronics' 32-inch PDP modules, which were launched in the market amid the supply shortage of 32-inch LCD TV panels, are turned out at a monthly capacity of 200,000 units and have become a mainstream model for the company.