DigiTimes is reporting that the low-cost 8.9-inch LCD displays that go into such ultraportable devices as the HP 2133 Mini-Note and the Asus Eee PC 900 are going to have tight supplies later in the year as PC makers ramp up production of 8.9-inch netbooks/subnotebooks (notably Dell and Acer).
There are only a few suppliers right now – Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) and AU Optronics (AUO), and demand appears to be rising rapidly. DigiTimes mentions that Samsung Electronics, Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), LG Display (LGD), and HannStar Display will start producing 8.9-inch panels this year (Samsung will start this quarter, the others later on).
DT’s sources are estimating that Asustek will ship three million Asus Eee PC 900s, and that Acer has a goal of five million while HP and Dell are looking at 3-3.5 million units.
That means we are looking at a supply of well over 10 million 8.9-inch laptops going into 2009 if the makers are able to manufacture and sell them. That’s pretty surprising.
Read: DigiTimes