Qualcomm, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with Japan’s Sharp Corp. on the expansion of a technology agreement with its Pixtronix, Inc. division to create high quality color, low-power MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) displays based on Sharp’s IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology. The agreement also provides for Sharp to utilize existing LCD factories to provide manufacturing…and most importantly for the struggling Japanese manufacturer…for Qualcomm to invest $120 million to become a minority shareholder in Sharp.
LCD
Can Sharp Survive? Company’s Performance ‘Raises Serious Doubts About [Our Ability] to Continue’
Last week, we reported on a rumor out of Japan that Sharp Corp. was about to report a dismal interim net loss that was much worse than anticipated. This Wednesday, Sharp confirmed those rumors announcing an interim (Apr-Sept) operating loss of ¥168.9 billion ($2.1 billion). This result was after a ¥84.4 billion ($1.1 billion) charge for costs associated with restructuring their struggling business.
But what really has the industry and investors talking is that the company affirmed that it is likely to show a “huge” net loss for the entire fiscal year of ¥450 billion ($5.6 billion), almost double a previous estimate of ¥250 billion. It is also well above analysts’ estimate of a ¥296 billion loss according to a survey of 17 analysts by Bloomberg. [Read more…] about Can Sharp Survive? Company’s Performance ‘Raises Serious Doubts About [Our Ability] to Continue’
Sharp Shocker: Company Will Report Interim Net Loss Almost Double Their Forecast
The Nikkei reported today that it has learned from unnamed sources that Sharp Corp. is about to report a surprising interim net loss of ¥400 billion (just over $5 billion). Covering the period of their April-through-September fiscal (interim) semester, this loss is 90% worse – almost double – their most recent estimate of a ¥210 billion loss…and an full ten times worse than last years interim loss of ¥39.8 billion.
How did Sharp management get their forecast so wrong?… [Read more…] about Sharp Shocker: Company Will Report Interim Net Loss Almost Double Their Forecast
J.D. Power & Assocs. Survey Proves What We’ve Said All Along: 3D is Dead as a Sales Motivator
I know not everyone who reads this post agrees with us, and we’ve taken a fair share of criticism for our viewpoint, but we’ve been consistently skeptical of the power of 3D to drive HDTV sales. And now, after the industry spent millions (billions?) of dollars in promotion and advertising , as well as several years of intense sales effort, and probably billions of dollars in research & development – a new survey of HDTV-purchasing consumers from reputable researcher J.D. Power and Associates shows that 3D was ranked a distant last as the reason they purchased their set.
The survey held some other surprises as well… [Read more…] about J.D. Power & Assocs. Survey Proves What We’ve Said All Along: 3D is Dead as a Sales Motivator
New Corning Glass is So Thin, It’s Flexible; Will Drive New CE Products by 2013
Corning Inc., the American glass manufacturer deeply involved in providing glass for flat-panel TV and mobile device manufacturing, said this week that they have developed a glass so thin, it’s flexible. And this new glass, they call it Willow Glass, is so flexible it can help create a whole new class of consumer electronics devices with glass shaped into curved surfaces.
When will new CE products appear? Soon… [Read more…] about New Corning Glass is So Thin, It’s Flexible; Will Drive New CE Products by 2013
TV War Won, Samsung Considers Spinning Off its Money-Losing LCD TV Business
<February 15, 2012> Samsung Electronics Co. surprised many in the industry today when it revealed that it is considering spinning-off its LCD flat-panel television business which is losing money amid a worldwide slowdown in consumer demand according to a report by Reuters. The company says letting the LCD business go will allow it to focus on what it believes will be the next wave in television technology – OLED which it hopes will stimulate consumer demand …and company profits. [Read more…] about TV War Won, Samsung Considers Spinning Off its Money-Losing LCD TV Business
LG – Last Year We Were Smart, This Year We Are Smarter
>>See a full slideshow from the LG CES Press Conference by clicking here<<
<January 18, 2012> CES Press Day kicked off this year with LG who seemed anxious to update the media on their progress in 2011. Wayne Park, President and CEO of LG USA, told reporters that although 2011 was a tough year economically, LG’s revenues were up 8 percent. Park also told the group that LG had a record-breaking fourth quarter in U.S. sales. [Read more…] about LG – Last Year We Were Smart, This Year We Are Smarter
Sony Decides to Stop Sleeping With the Enemy; Breaks Off Samsung Partnership
<December 28, 2011> Multiple reports from The New York Times, Reuters, the Nikkei and others say that
Sony Corp. has decided to pull out of its joint venture with Samsung called S-LCD Corp. Launched in 2004, the JV manufactured LCD TVs in South Korea for both partners and was Sony’s attempt to catch up with the rest of the industry after its disastrous decision to stay with analog sets as everyone else turned to flat panels. [Read more…] about Sony Decides to Stop Sleeping With the Enemy; Breaks Off Samsung Partnership
