Resistive touch panel supply to be sufficient in 2008 despite strong demand from handset market
While the penetration rate of touch panels in handsets expected to reach 15% in 2008, industry players are not worried about a shortage in the supply of resistive touch panels, as makers are actively expanding their capacity amid sufficient material supply, according to industry sources.
A total of 200 million handsets are expected to adopt touch panels this year, with most of them being the resistive type because of its cost competitiveness, sources with touch panel suppliers indicated.
The sources noted that the China handset market, which accounts for more than half of Taiwan's touch panel shipments, is crucial to Taiwan touch panel makers. Although handset demand in China this year may not be as strong as previously predicted, touch panel makers are still optimistic that the size of the handset market in China will reach 150-200 million units in 2008, and that demand for touch panels in the China handset market will pick up in the second quarter.
The sources remarked that both resistive touch panel makers and ITO film suppliers are fast expanding their capacities to meet the growing demand of the market.
For capacitive touch panels, prices remain higher than those of the resistive type. But the quotes of some Taiwan-based suppliers for capacitive touch panels have already dropped to US$10 each, compared to US$18-20 for the ones adopted by the Apple iPhone, the sources noted.
The sources cited various estimates by research firms and makers as indicating that capacitive touch panel shipments will reach 26 million units in 2008, up from 10 million units in 2007.
source
A total of 200 million handsets are expected to adopt touch panels this year, with most of them being the resistive type because of its cost competitiveness, sources with touch panel suppliers indicated.
The sources noted that the China handset market, which accounts for more than half of Taiwan's touch panel shipments, is crucial to Taiwan touch panel makers. Although handset demand in China this year may not be as strong as previously predicted, touch panel makers are still optimistic that the size of the handset market in China will reach 150-200 million units in 2008, and that demand for touch panels in the China handset market will pick up in the second quarter.
The sources remarked that both resistive touch panel makers and ITO film suppliers are fast expanding their capacities to meet the growing demand of the market.
For capacitive touch panels, prices remain higher than those of the resistive type. But the quotes of some Taiwan-based suppliers for capacitive touch panels have already dropped to US$10 each, compared to US$18-20 for the ones adopted by the Apple iPhone, the sources noted.
The sources cited various estimates by research firms and makers as indicating that capacitive touch panel shipments will reach 26 million units in 2008, up from 10 million units in 2007.
source
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