Widescreen LCD monitors sales set to soar

Sales to people will reach 35.8 million units this year, and by 2009 will be the dominant force in the market, with sales reaching $6.7 billion this year, and to $20.9 billion by 2011.

LCD panel makers like wide screens and so are pushing them for all they're worth because they make more efficient use of the glass, said iSuppli. And Microsoft Vista apparently likes wide format displays while monitor users are beginning to like the widescreen format too.

China is leading the way on their adoption, apparently, but there's already a fight for position on the sizes of 19-inch, 20-inch and 22-inch screens. The 22-inch sizes are beginning to drop below $300 at retil level, with 20-inch panels facing a price squeeze.

Games, video clips, and IPTV are all set to catch peoples' attention for this format, iSuppli reckons, but although uptake by large organisations will be slower, bean counters eager to see their glorious spreadsheet confections in widescreen glory may be the first ones to bite.

L'INQ
iSuppli