HDTVs and monitors that employ backlit LEDs are becoming more common in the market, and DisplaySearch reports that the technology is poised to reach 20% market penetration by the end of this year.

Already in the first quarter of this year, LED backlit displays account for 10 million (12%) of all LCD panel shipments. This is up 63% quarter-over-quarter and a whopping 780% when compared to the same period last year. The research firm expects the technology to be employed within 105 million LCD panels by the end of the year, representing 20% of all large-format displays on the market.

"The driving factors for the fast growth of LED backlights are slim and lightweight form factor, lower power consumption, market differentiation, dimming backlight capability, wide colour gamut, and the trend towards green displays," explains David Hsieh, Vice President of DisplaySearch. "However, there are many challenges in LED backlight design, components availability and cost, and panel makers are working closely with LED backlight supply chain participants to increase shipments."

While flat-panel TVs are gaining steam, the research firm reports that netbook PCs are leading the category with all (4.2 million) models currently available to date incorporating screens with LED backlights. In the standard-sized notebook category, 5.9 million models representing 26% of the market incorporate LED backlights. LG was the leading supplier of LED backlit panels for notebooks.

Desktop computer monitors, however, only shipped 0.1 million units with LED backlights, representing less than 0.5% of the market. In TVs, shipments of LED backlit models were 0.4 million, concentrated mainly in the 40", 46", and 55" sizes. Samsung leads in that category with 96.2% share, followed by AUO (2.2%), LG (1.4%), and Sharp (0.2%).

DisplaySearch reports that LCD TV panel makers plan to ship 4.3 million panels with LED backlights in 2009. Samsung is expected to remain in the lead, but Sharp is anticipated to shoot to the number-two position with 27.9% share by the end of the year. In LCD monitors and notebooks, LG is expected to continue its strong lead, although AUO will creep closer to the top spot.

"We believe LED supply chain management will be a key success factor for panel makers," adds Hsiesh, "and will reshuffle the competition landscape from now to 2010."

[Photo: Many new LCDs, like this model from LG that's deemed to be the thinnest 42" model in the world, employ a backlit LED system.]

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