Taipei, March 9, 2010 (CENS)--The rapid growth of the global market for signage and commercial displays is attracting new, heavyweight competitors to the business: Information Technology (IT)-oriented firms as Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) and Intel Corp, according to iSuppli Corp.
The major technology value-chain research and advisory company pointed out that worldwide shipments of liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma screens for use in digital signage and professional displays is forecast to grow 2% in 2010, reaching 1.99 million units, up from 1.6 million in 2009.
Sanju Khatri, principal analyst for signage and public information displays at iSuppl, said: "By 2013, shipments of LCD and plasma displays for signage and professional displays will total 5.99 million units."
Of the roughly two million signage and professional displays that will be shipped this year, according to iSuppli, fully three-quarters-or 1.52 million units-will be LCD displays, with the remaining 468,752 being plasma screens.
Within the industry, solid growth is projected in 2010 in a number of sub-markets, specifically the indoor venues and retail signage segments. For the indoor venues market, which includes installations in entertainment facilities, hospitality centers, healthcare facilities, auditoriums and indoor arenas, LCD and plasma signage displays would climb more than 70%, reaching 720,000 units in 2010, up from 419,000 units in 2009, iSuppli said.
Of major interest in the industry is the increasing recognition among key information technology (IT) companies of the role that digital signage can play in advertising and communications with end users, Khatri noted. For instance, HP has introduced its own line of display products, including 42- and 47-inch widescreen LCD displays, catering to the signage and professional display market. Likewise, Cisco Systems Inc. is offering media players, content management software and digital displays as components of an integrated digital media suite that could also operate as a standalone digital signage application.
Intel recently demonstrated how technology is able to enhance the retail experience. Intel says its Intelligent Digital Signage Proof of Concept delivers the performance required for demanding video applications, such as running anonymous video analytics applications or displaying multiple video streams and rich graphics.
| Worldwide Flat-panel Signage & Professional Displays Unit Shipment Forecast, 2008-2013 (Excludes Hotel TV Market) |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| LCD | 831,009 | 1,062,514 | 1,522,826 | 2,407,337 | 3,759,414 | 5,619,064 |
| Plasma | 577,902 | 529,003 | 468,752 | 421,655 | 411,230 | 367,999 |
| Source: iSuppli Corp. February 2010 |
(by Quincy Liang)
