AUO Ships AMOLED Panels to Brand Vendors

Taipei, Oct.24, 2012 (CENS)--AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), a major maker of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels in Taiwan, continues to ship AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emit diode) panels to brand vendors including HTC Corp.and Asus Computer Inc. Along with massive shipments of iPad mini panels and growing pull-in deliveries for TV panels, AUO is shipping more different-sized panels as the high season in the fourth quarter approaches.

A supply-chain insider revealed that AUO is one of the world’s only two AMOLED suppliers for cellphone panels. After taking 4.3-inch orders from Sony Corp., the firm has recently sent samples to HTC and ASUS for certification, with shipments to start soon. AUO has made a breakthrough in yield rate in initial production of AMOLED and has started to expand modeling equipment.

S.L. Peng, general manager of AUO, said mass production of AMOLED panels for cellphones will start in the fourth quarter, with 7,000 pieces of glass substrate to be shipped from a 3.5G plant in Hsinchu Science Park.

AUO’s new 4.5G AMOLED plant in Singapore will complete capacity installation in September, with 15000 pieces of glass substrate in monthly capacity and mass production to starts in the beginning of 2013.

In regard to mid-sized panels for iPad mini, AUO has also made a technological breakthrough in light leakage and ultra-narrow border frame, also having started shipment to Apple Inc. with more than two million pieces monthly. With AUO and LG Corp. each sharing 50% of iPad mini panel production, AUO still has opportunity to increase shipments of the said product.

Due to growing demand for TV panels, massive shipments of high-priced and profitable AMOLED panels for iPad mini, institutional investors predict AUO has reversed losses into gains in September to ready for further profits in the fourth quarter.