SANTA CLARA, CA – Apple shipped more than 13.5 million mobile PCs in the second quarter, for 136% year-over-year shipment growth, overtaking HP for the top spot, says DisplaySearch.

Nearly 80% of Apple’s mobile PC shipments were iPads, which reached over 10.7 million units, for 107% year-over-year growth. Apple’s total mobile PC shipments (notebook and tablet PCs) were 3.9 million units more than HP’s nearly 9.7 million units for the quarter.

Tablet PCs continue to be the engine of growth for the mobile PC industry, the firm says. Tablet PC shipments were up nearly 70% sequentially and over 400% year-over-year, with nearly 16.4 million units shipped in the second quarter.

Notebook PC shipments were down 2% sequentially, but up 2% compared to the same quarter last year, with nearly 48 million units shipped during the period.
A consumer notebook PC adoption slowdown continues to hold back the industry following a 2% year-over-year drop in shipments in the first quarter of 2011. Worldwide mobile PC shipments (including notebook and tablet PCs) reached 64.4 million in the second quarter, up 10% sequentially and 28% year-over-year.

Among the top five players, Acer experienced the largest decline in shipment growth, with a 4% sequential drop, and a decline of 12% year-over-year.

In the notebook PC category, Samsung and Dell had the fastest shipment growth, up 44% and 33% year-over-year, respectively. Dell was also up sequentially, with 27% shipment growth, as it continues to take advantage of a rebound in commercial market PC shipments. Samsung’s shipments fell 16% sequentially, as it was unable to build off of strong shipment results in EMEA and China. Still, Samsung was able to top first-quarter shipment levels in North America and Asia Pacific.

Tablet PC shipment results show that even after removing Apple from growth rate calculations, worldwide year-over-year tablet PC shipment growth reached 25%, and shipments of non-Apple tablets reached more than 5.6 million units for the quarter, according to DisplaySearch.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Mobile video services in China, Brazil, and the US are creating new growth markets for all-digital mobile tuners, which will drive the value of silicon TV tuners to $750 million in 2015, says In-Stat.

The transition from older-style can-type tuners to silicon TV tuners began in 2010. Today, the top TV set manufacturers are actually putting silicon tuners directly on their main TV chassis boards, and many ODMs are using can-type modules that contain silicon tuners and demodulators. 

By 2015, nearly 80% of all new TV sets will ship with silicon tuners built in, the firm says. Silicon tuner shipments into Latin America will grow at CAGR of 30.5%. In North America, silicon tuners built into TV sets will grow with a CAGR of 22.5% through 2015.

Many European TV sets already include silicon TV tuners, and expected growth will push the number of units shipped to nearly 36 million in 2015, according to In-Stat.

In the cable TV space, Broadcom’s full band capture technologies will help bring an expanding range of Internet protocol services to consumers’ homes.

In the satellite space, NovelSat’s NS-3 modulation may create a new wave of satellite services that can reinvigorate shipments for next-generation satellite set top boxes. 

SANTA CLARA, CA – Shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels increased to 180.8 million units in the second quarter, up 11% sequentially and 6% year-over-year.
Revenues reached $19.3 billion, also up 11% sequentially, but down 16% year-over-year, says DisplaySearch.

Panel makers are targeting a modest 7% growth in shipments for the third quarter, as downstream manufacturers and brands are expected to prepare for the holiday season. However, fourth-quarter growth is expected to be flat.

“The TFT LCD industry has been in oversupply for more than a year, and first-quarter 2011 was at the bottom of the cycle. Prices rebounded slightly in the second quarter, and both shipments and revenues increased. However, this was just a short-term rebound, as stagnant economic conditions and low consumer confidence continue to exert a drag on demand, especially for IT products and TVs,” noted David Hsieh, vice president, greater China market, DisplaySearch. “Panel makers did not achieve their goal of growing second-quarter shipments 18% sequentially, and slow demand is eroding panel prices in the third quarter.”

Most LCD TV set makers are reducing 2011 panel demand forecasts to trim costs and maintain low inventory levels, says the research firm. Panel prices are becoming more negotiable as a result of the concern over weakening demand, and falling prices will encourage panel makers to cut capacity utilization in the second half of 2011. This is likely to persuade panel makers to set conservative shipment targets. This is abnormal for second-half shipment targets, which typically aim for strong growth, says DisplaySearch.

In the second quarter, all applications experienced sequential growth, and tablet PCs showed the strongest momentum, with 88% growth sequentially and 386% year-over-year. Monitor and notebook PC shipments grew 3% and 5% sequentially, respectively, but both were flat compared to the same period last year.
TV panel shipments were flat in the second quarter, while tablet and mini-note PC panel shipments fell 7% sequentially. Despite 7% sequential growth, TV panel shipments suffered a 4% year-over-year decline.

The decrease in panel prices at the end of July and beginning of August has caused panel makers to become concerned about second-half conditions.
In terms of revenues, all applications experienced sequential growth in the second-quarter, due to stabilized panel pricing. Tablet PC and public display panel revenues showed the strongest growth, at 64% and 28% sequentially, respectively. However, year-over-year revenue growth for monitor, notebook PC and TV panels were all negative. Due to an increase in shipments, panel makers are targeting 11% growth in revenues in the third quarter.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Intense competition for power and water resources will boost demand for smart meters, a new research report finds.