TechLuver.com

Tokyo, Japan — Dec 25, `07 –BUSINESS WIRE– Hitachi, Canon and Matsushita Electric today reached a basic agreement on a comprehensive alliance aimed at reinforcing and growing the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel businesses and technologies.

Under this alliance, the three companies will merge their strengths to accelerate the development of cutting-edge display technologies and expand their scope of application. Hitachi possesses sophisticated liquid crystal-related technologies, including the world-acclaimed In-Plane Switching (“IPS”) technology that enables outstanding color reproducibility, wide viewing angles and other superior features. Canon, meanwhile, excels in the camera, printer and medical equipment fields while Matsushita commands global leadership in the flat-panel TV field.

Moreover, it has been basically agreed by the three companies that Canon and Matsushita will, by transfer of shares from Hitachi, each acquire 24.9% of the shares of Hitachi Displays, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi engaged in small- and medium-sized LCD panel-related businesses, by March 31, 2008, subject to approvals by regulatory authorities. As a result, Hitachi’s stake in Hitachi Displays is to become 50.2%.

Hitachi will strengthen its competitiveness in the flat-panel LCD TV sector by using state-of-the-art LCD panels to develop the world’s thinnest flat-panel LCD TV and its ultra-thin flat-panel LCD TVs “Wooo UT series.”

Canon aims to accelerate ongoing development of organic light-emitting diode (“OLED”) displays by teaming up with Hitachi, which also boasts advanced display technologies.

Matsushita is expanding and strengthening its mainline PDP operations. It is also deepening its involvement in the businesses of Hitachi Displays, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of IPS liquid crystal panels for large TVs, and of IPS Alpha. The aim is to exploit the outstanding performance and cost advantage of the IPS alpha Panel toward increasing the competitive edge of the VIErA Series of flat-panel TVs in step with PDP models.

As the second stage, the three companies are planning ownership changes that would have Canon, a company with extensive know-how in small- and medium-sized displays from the user side, take a majority holding in Hitachi Displays, and Matsushita, a universally acknowledged leader in the TV sector, take a majority holding in IPS Alpha. More here.

Seoul, S Korea — On Dec 11, Seoul Semiconductor announced that it has launched the world’s thinnest chip-LED at 0.17mm, capable of producing more than two times the brightness of existing chip-LEDs. Seoul Semiconductor has applied for a patent for its new chip.

Seoul Semiconductor’s new chip-LED, WH108, measures 1.6mm in width, 0.8mm in length and 0.17mm in height, and represents a significant reduction in thickness. The WH108 is 15% thinner than the industry’s exiting thin chip-LED, which measures 0.2mm. The WH108 also delivers superior performance at a luminous intensity of 240 mcd, more than two times brighter than the existing chip-LED at a current of 5 mA.

WH108’s ultra-thin package and high brightness make it ideal for use in applications for cell phone keypad modules or touch pads, which will ultimately lead to thinner cell phones.

In addition, the WH108 is capable of producing the same brightness at a lower power, which helps extend the battery life of portable devices such as cell phones, digital cameras and laptops.

The WH108 has enhanced thermal characteristic, meaning it can withstand and perform reliably in demanding environments such as:
- Small lights: inner lighting of refrigerator, reading lamp of automobile
- Special illumination devices: endoscope illumination
- Automobile dashboard lighting

Prototype models of the WH108 in white, blue and green will be available to cell phone companies in Korea and globally in December 2007. Seoul Semiconductor will begin mass-production of the WH108 on a scale of more than 10 million LEDs per month in the first quarter of 2008. More at Seoul Semiconductor.