Taiwan Predicted to Become a Big Player
in E-Paper Development
According to Taipei-based Topology Research Institute (TRI) analyst Harrison Po, with the involvement of four major global e-paper suppliers, Taiwan is set to become a promised land for e-paper development and production.
Po said that Taiwan-based panel makers Prime View International and AU Optronics have control over global e-paper suppliers E Ink and SiPix respectively through acquisiton. Delta Electronics, another Taiwan-based company, will cooperate with leading e-paper technology supplier Bridgestone to make products for e-paper applications, and the Japanese manufacturer Fujitsu plans to set up a production line and research center for cholesteric liquid crystal films in Taiwan, Po added. With the converge of the four major e-paper suppliers, Taiwan is set to become a big player in global e-paper market, Po indicated.
E-paper applications include e-books, smart cards, smart tags and labels, advertising and promotional signs, billboards, and other applications. According to a TRI study, the overall e-paper market has grown from US$2.2 million in 2007 and is projected to reach US$400 million in 2010, during which e-book application will remain the brightest spot in the growth followed by the applications of information displays and advertising signs and billboards.
The continuous growth of e-books in the global market has been a testimony of great market potential for e-paper. According to an Andrew Tribute study, the global e-book content sales are about 40,000 copies per month.
Po said Amazon and Sony have dominated the e-book market in 2008 and 2009 with a combined market share of 70%. Even though the total shipments of e-books are less than 3 million units in 2009, the market will grow as more companies are getting involved in e-books and as the cost for making e-book readers is going down, Po added.
Po pointed out that e-book readers that are light, slim, easy to use and affordable are better equipped to win in the emerging e-book market. Po added that Taiwan, with its complete e-book supply chains, will enjoy strong advantages in the e-book market.
Some analysts have suggested integrating e-books with other potable devices such as smart phones instead of stand-alone electronic readers, and improving the software so that readers can have the easier option of hearing e-books.
However, to maintain the advantages among competition from Japanese and Korean manufacturers such as Sharp, Samsung and LG Display, Po said Taiwan’s e-paper industry needs to put additional resources into developing new-generation e-paper, adding that equipping e-paper products with touch control and colorful display is the way to go for the e-paper industry. In addition, Po said developing more innovative applications than just counting on e-book reading devices is also critical for the future of e-paper market, which is faced with strong competition from LCD and OLED markets.
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