DisplaySearch US FPD Conference Attracts Record Number of Attendees -- FPD Market Upgraded with Component Shortages a Concern.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

6th Annual US FPD Conference

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2004

DisplaySearch, the worldwide leader in flat panel display (FPD) market research, held its 6th Annual US FPD Conference last week in San Diego, California attracting its largest audience to date at over 405 attendees.

The conference examined all aspects of the FPD market ranging from equipment and materials segments to end markets and included updated results through Q4'03 and new forecasts to 2008 from DisplaySearch analysts for the:

-- FPD market by technology and application;

-- TV market by size and technology;

-- Desktop monitor market by technology and size;

-- Notebook PC market by size, resolution and aspect ratio;

-- Mobile phone and PDA markets;

-- Public display market;

-- Automotive, portable DVD player, digital and video camera and

other display markets;

-- TFT LCD equipment spending;

-- Controller IC, DVI IC and deinterlacer IC markets;

-- TFT LCD and PDP supply;

-- Component supply;

-- Component supply/demand;

-- TFT LCD supply/demand;

-- TFT LCD pricing;

-- PDP pricing;

The conference proceedings are now available in hard copy and CD-ROM for $895 by visiting www.displaysearch.com/usfpd2004/registration.html or calling 512-459-3126. Some of the highlights from DisplaySearch presentations are shown below:

-- DisplaySearch, whose staff has surged from 14 to 23 people

since the 2003 US FPD Conference, expects the FPD market to

grow at a 17% CAGR from 2003 to 2008 reaching $95.0 billion

and an 84% share of the $113 billion display module market.

Growth is expected to be even more impressive from 2003

through 2006, rising at a 25% CAGR. DisplaySearch expects the

2004 FPD market to rise 39% to $59.9 billion after 48% growth

to $43.1 billion in 2003. 2003 was an amazing year for TFT

LCDs with five applications enjoying greater than 100% growth.

TFT LCDs and PDPs are expected to drive the growth through

2008, rising at 17% and 36% CAGRs respectively. TFT LCDs +

AMOLEDs are expected to reach a dominant $77 billion and an

81% share in 2008, up from $33.2 billion and a 77% share.

-- DisplaySearch expects TVs to overtake desktop monitors as the

#1 FPD application in 2006 and #1 TFT LCD application in 2008.

The FPD unit share of the TV market is expected to rise from

4% in 2003 to 36% in 2008 while the FPD revenue share is

expected to rise from 18% in 2003 to 68% in 2008. FPD-based

TVs, which includes LCD TVs, PDP TVs and microdisplay-based

TVs, are expected to rise at a 66% CAGR to 74M units. The 40"+

TV market is expected to rise from 7.5M units in 2004 to 23.5M

units in 2008 with microdisplay RPTVs surpassing CRT RPTVs in

2006 and dominating from 2007.

-- DisplaySearch also presented that while demand for TFT LCDs is

robust, supply will rise even faster with 16% more capacity

expected to be installed in 2004 on a square meter basis than

from 2001 - 2003 combined on 73% growth in equipment spending

in 2004 to a record $11.3 billion. Significant spending is

also expected in 2005 and 2006 which will grow the surplus.

However, identified component shortages in glass, color

filters and lamps will cause the component supply-limited TFT

LCD surplus to remain quite tight. Component suppliers will

likely struggle to keep up with TFT LCD capacity growth as

there are fewer suppliers in a given segment, they tend to be

smaller companies which may be unable to raise the significant

financing required to invest at the rate of TFT LCD suppliers,

they are concerned about vertical integration, it is difficult

for new entrants to quickly meet the demanding technical

requirements and they may be skeptical about the rapid growth

expected for LCD TVs. Although TFT LCD factory utilization is

expected to decline for suppliers without close ties to key

component suppliers, the importance of utilization will

decline at larger substrate fabs due to their productivity

benefits maintaining a healthy long-term outlook for TFT LCD

suppliers.

-- DisplaySearch also revealed the results of its 4th Annual

Customer Satisfaction survey where 30 notebook and LCD monitor

panel buyers rated 15 TFT LCD suppliers. Each buyer rated

their suppliers by answering 25 questions covering five

categories which include Quality, Technology, Logistics,

Commercial Terms and Service & Support. The #2 panel suppliers

in terms of volume in each category were the winners in

customer satisfaction with Samsung earning the top position in

LCD monitors with a slight advantage over AU Optronics and

LG.Philips LCD winning the top position in notebook PCs with a

slight lead over CPT.

Highlights of new products and technologies introduced from invited speakers and keynotes can be found at http://www.displaysearch.com/press/2004/040604.htm#product.

The conference featured presentations from leading participants throughout the FPD food chain which included the following companies -- ABN AMRO, AMTC, Analog Devices, Apple Computer, Applied Films, AUO, CIBC, CMO, Corning, Dell, DisplaySearch, E Ink, FUJI Photo Film, Gateway, Hitachi, IBM, Ignis Innovation, InFocus, Intel, Japan Picture Quality & Technology Laboratory, Kodak, LG Electronics, LG.Philips Displays, LG.Philips LCD, Lumileds, Microsemi, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, National Semiconductor, Nokia, Optrex America, Orbotech, OTB Engineering, Panasonic, Philips, Pixelworks, Plasmaco, RiTdisplay, Salomon Smith Barney, Samsung Electronics, Samsung SDI, Silicon Image, Sony, SVA-USA, TAITRA, Texas Instruments, Toshiba America Electronics Components, Unaxis Displays, Universal Display Corporation, Verizon Wireless and Vitex Systems.

Sponsors included CustomRetailer, Dealerscope, Analog Devices, Genesis Microchip, LG.Philips LCD, Samsung Electronics, TAITRA, Unaxis Displays, Lumileds, Microsemi, AU Optronics, Cleverdis, DICOM, ElectronicDisplayCentral.com, Pixelworks, Toshiba America Electronic Components, USDC and Xicor.

DisplaySearch will also be sponsoring three conferences in three different countries in the next four months including:

-- May 28, 7th DisplaySearch Japan Forum, Tokyo Conference

Center, Shinagawa, Japan

-- June 10 - 11, Taiwan FPD International Conference 2004, Taiwan

International Convention Center, Taipei, Taiwan, co-sponsored

by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council and the

Interchange Association of Japan.

-- August 24 - 26, HDTV Forum 2004, Westin Century Plaza, Los

Angeles, California, co-sponsored by Insight Media.

For more information on any DisplaySearch conference, product or service, please contact Kendra Smith at 512-459-3126 or by email at [e-mail]

About DisplaySearch

DisplaySearch is the worldwide leader in market research and consulting for the flat panel display (FPD) industry. Founded in 1996, the company serves a growing multinational client base, with an extensive array of market intelligence reports, advisory services, and global business conferences. The firm surveys the entire display industry food chain, including component and equipment manufacturers, display producers, OEMs, distributors and retailers. From this comprehensive vantage point, DisplaySearch prepares a valued suite of market forecasts, technology assessments, studies and analyses, and produces influential industry events worldwide. The firm serves more than 1,000 clients in over 30 countries, and is made up of a core team of 18 analysts, located in Japan, Korea, North America and Taiwan. DisplaySearch is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with regional offices in Chicago, Houston, Richmond, Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo. It is on the web at www.displaysearch.com.