Demand for 8.9-inch netbook panels drop sharply

The demand for 8.9-inch netbook display panels have dropped sharply over the last month according to DisplaySearch. This is not entirely surprising given that some high profile names, including Asus, have commented that 10-inch models will become the norm. Whilst 8.9-inch panels may not fare as strongly in the western world, they are still expected to be deployed in devices targeting emerging markets. The price of 10-inch netbook panels continue to drop mainly due to the high competition from a number of different suppliers. During the second-half of Mach, the price of a 10-inch panel dropped by $2.

In related news, LCD panel manufacturer, HannStar, has said that shipments of netbook panels are expected to increase. It will start to ship 10.1-inch panels in April and interestingly plan to ship 10.1-inch touch-screen panels from the third quarter of this year. Hopefully this means we should start to see a number of touchscreen netbooks out just in time for the Windows 7 launch, which has been pushing its ‘touch’ features.

Via Digitimes.