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Himax targets china white-box handst market with mobile LCOS projectors

The news that Taiwan LCD driver maker Himax has linked up with Wingtech, a China-based white-box handset maker and the country's largest handset solution provider, to develop mobile devices that feature an LCOS mobile projector marks another step forward for 3M's LCOS technology in the fledgling handheld projector market.

Recently Taiwan's Optoma launched a model based on Texas Instruments (TI) DLP solution, while Aiptek is adopting 3M's LCOS microdisplay technology. Microvision and its PicoP display engine is also competing in the segment, with Asia Optical being its manufacturing partner.

Himax is focusing on LCOS for the mobile projector market, as the company has spent a significant amount of resources in the development of LCOS mobile projection solutions using its proprietary single-panel color filter type solution, Jordan Wu, president and CEO of Himax stated. Wu added that China's white-box handset segment is well-known for its aggressive pursuit of new features and fast time-to-market, so it makes sense that a white-box vendor is among the early adopters of Himax's LCOS technology. Wingtech is also the largest handset solution provider in China, with 18 million units of handset shipped in 2007, according to iSuppli.

Himax's LCOS mobile projection solutions can be designed as a standalone projector, an accessory type projector or embedded into different consumer electronics. There are a number of China handset manufacturers showing interest in adopting Himax LCOS solution and many of them have already started design-in projects with the expected commercial production to take place in the first half of 2009, Himax stated. Among the estimated global handset shipments of 1.2-1.3 billion units this year, more than 100 million units will be from Chinese brands, Himax pointed out.

While Himax was the world's leading LCD driver IC company in the second quarter of this year, the company has made attempts to diversify its products lines. The company entered into a strategic alliance with 3M early this year to commercialize LCOS mobile projectors by combining their proprietary technologies to deliver a complete mobile projection solution and Himax's sales of non-driver ICs has grown to account for 6.6% of its total sales in the third quarter, up from 5.4% in the second quarter.

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