HTC Joins Hands with AUO to Develop 4.3” AMOLED Touchscreen

Taipei, Sept. 6, 2012 (CENS)--The Taiwan-based HTC Corp., a world-caliber developer and brand vendor of the handset models, has announced its partnership with AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), a large-sized Taiwanese manufacturer of display panels, on joint development of a 4.3-inch AMOLED (active matrix organic lighting emitting diode) touchscreen used in its smartphone models.

The partnership will surely bring concrete, considerable benefits to the both sides. For reasons, this can help HTC to wean itself from AMOLED touchscreens procured from Samsung Display and, instead, secure steadier supply of the key components at home. Besides, building 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreens can also enhance marketability of its smartphones in the increasingly competitive market.

In the meantime, by working with HTC on developing AMOLED touchscreens, AUO can also sharpen its next-generation display technologies and build a reliable shipment outlet for the products. This will enable AUO to become the world's second company massively producing AMOLED displays, next to Samsung Display, to build a higher profile over rivals in its industry.

Noteworthy is that while the joint development of the 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen gets under way, HTC's chairperson Cher Wang reportedly intends to invest personally in AUO to reinforce business ties between both companies. Presently, HTC has yet to confirm the chairperson's investment.

AUO's president Paul Peng confirmed that his company's newest AMOLED panel for smartphones will be set for mass production at the 3.5-generation fabrication plant located in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, starting in the third quarter of this year. The plant can turn out 7,000 units of glass plates per month.

Peng furthered that AUO's 4.5-generation fabrication plant located in Singapore will be ready for a trial run in September, and then kick off mass production of AMOLED panels early next year, with monthly output of 15,000 units.

In addition to HTC, Peng said, a number of customers have shown interest in AUO's AMOLED panels so far.