Amid AU Optronics' (AUO's) efforts to strengthen its LCD module cooperation with China-based players, as well as strategic cooperation with TPV Technology, AUO's LCD TV panel shipments are closing in on Chimei Innolux (CMI), who is currently the leading panel maker in Taiwan.

CMI remained in the leading position among Taiwan-based LCD panel makers for TV panels in the third quarter of 2010, according to Digitimes Research. Actual benefits to CMI's TV panel shipments from Foxconn Electronics' (Hon Hai Precision Industry's) cooperation with Sony will be more obvious in 2011, as the Japan-based vendor still has previous orders with other manufactures in 2010, Digitimes Research noted.

Taiwan's large-size panel shipments in the third quarter dropped 7.9% sequentially, Digitimes Research added, saying that such a sequential drop is rare as the third quarter is the industry's traditional peak season. On a yearly basis, the shipments increased only 3.2%, which is significantly lower than the average 22% growth from the previous four quarters.