The momentum for 4KTV is building, says research firm IHS, which has identified record panel shipments and predicts that in 2016, a fifth of all panels expected to ship will be in the new high quality resolution.
The analyst says that the rise in 4KTV LCD panel shipments is being driven by forces on both the supply side and the demand side. In April 2015 4KTV shipments of panels exceeded three million units for the first time, comprising 14% of all TV panels shipped globally during the month. Over the next 12 months, the trend toward higher resolution panels in the high-end TV segment and improved production efficiency of panel maker will drive the Ultra HD panel shipments past the 20% mark.
Putting this into context, IHS noted that just three years ago, when AU Optronics (AUO) introduced the first 55″ 4KTV panels in Taiwan in 2012, fewer than 100 units were shipped each month. In 2013, panel makers managed to improve their 4KTV panel yield rates, but shipments still made up less than 2%.
“Prices for 4KTV panels continued to decline in 2014 and early this year, causing a rise in their adoption,” explained Linda Lin, IHS Technology senior analyst. “Most global TV brands have now launched 4K/Ultra HD products and are introducing more 4K models to their television offerings … While panel makers in Taiwan initially developed and stimulated 4KTV panel production, South Korean panel makers are now leading the 4KTV panel market. In fact, LG Display and Samsung Display have risen to become the largest global manufacturers of 4K displays.”
This article was originally published at Rapid TV News.