Notebooks chips to increase

The PC microprocessor market is heading for an inflection point late this year or early next year, when, for the first time, the number of micro-processors shipping for notebook PCs will exceed those shipping for desktop PCs, says Wireless Design & Development Asia.

However, this is not to say the desktop PC market is dead, says market research firm In-Stat.

In fact, the desktop PC market will continue to experience single-digit growth rates for several years, but have a short hiatus this year and in 2009 when the growth will be less than 1% due to US macro economic pressures and the subsequent global fallout.

Microsoft is launching a programme to promote the use of its Windows OS in ultra low-cost PCs, one effect of which will be to limit the hardware capabilities of this type of device, states ITworld.com.

Microsoft plans to offer PC makers steep discounts on Windows XP Home Edition to encourage them to use that OS instead of Linux on ultra low-cost PCs (ULPCs). To be eligible, however, the PC vendors that make ULPCs must limit screen sizes to 10.2 inches and hard drives to 80GB, and they cannot offer touch-screen PCs.

The programme is outlined in confidential documents that Microsoft sent to PC makers last month, and which were obtained by IDG News Service. The goal apparently is to limit the hardware capabilities of ULPCs so that they don't eat into the market for mainstream PCs running Windows Vista, something both Microsoft and the PC vendors would want to avoid.

iSuppli estimates 90% of large-sized LCD notebook-PC panels shipped in 2012 will employ LEDs to backlight their displays, up from just 4.7% in the fourth quarter of 2007, says PCWorld.

By the end of this year, LED-backlit large LCD notebook PC panel shipments will surge to 17.4 million units, up by more than a factor of six from 2.8 million units in 2007.

iSuppli defines large-sized LCD panels as those having a diagonal dimension of 10-inches and larger.