The Change Mariner

Flat-Panel Display Demand Surges

New York Times:

Looking to the fastest-growing segment of the world television market, Sony announced Tuesday a $2 billion joint venture with Samsung, to produce liquid crystal displays, commonly known as flat-panel screens. With production to start in South Korea in 2005, the 50-50 joint venture would wed Sony, the world's largest producer of televisions, with Samsung, the world's second-largest producer of flat screens.

Demand for flat-panel screens is expected to leap in coming years, from 4 million this year to 14 million in 2005 and to 30 million in 2007, the two companies estimated. The alliance of the two electronics giants to produce seventh-generation flat-panel screens should lead the way toward standardizing the global TV monitor format, the companies said.