LCD makers pushing 15.6-inch as new notebook mainstream

Industry sources say LCD panel makers are pushing 15.6" panels with a 16:9 aspect ratio as the next mainstream standard in the notebook market.

AU Optronics (AUO), Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), LG Display, and Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) are all developing the 15.6-inch segment, the sources said. Samsung Electronics was previously reluctant to develop a size so similar to the 16-inch Full HD notebook panel that it already carries, but is now also assessing the possibility of making 15.6-inch panels following requests from its clients, the sources said.

The sources noted that 18 15.6-inch panels can be cut from a 5G substrate, and 35 from a 6G one. Both AUO and CMO plan to process the segment at their 5G lines, with volume production slated for the second quarter. LG Display will make 15.6-inch panels from 6G substrates, and volume production will start in the third quarter, the sources said.

Samsung would probably use 5G substrates for the segment, the sources speculated.

Prices of 15.6" panels will come close to those of 15.4" panels and many vendors such as Dell, Acer, Asus, Toshiba and Lenovo are expected to start rolling out 15.6" notebooks towards the end of Q2 2008 or early in Q3 2008.