Taiwan-based IC distributors WPG Holdings, WT Microelectronics, Zenitron and Techmosa International have all strengthened their deployments in touch controller ICs and other related parts for the expanding tablet PC market, according to industry sources.

Buoyed by booming iPad sales, Samsung Electronics has launched the Galaxy Tab and ViewSonic has rolled out the ViewPad. RIM is going to launch its Playbook in the second quarter of 2011, while Acer also plans to market its own models in the coming year. Sources in Taiwan have estimated that global shipments of tablet PCs are likely to top 50 million units in 2011.

Zenitron has reportedly begun shipping touch controller solutions from Cypress Semiconductor to branded tablet PC vendors and also won a number of design-in cases from clients in Taiwan and China, the sources indicated.

Techmosa, which distributes more than 90% of Synopsys' products available in Taiwan, have been doing business with touch panel module maker TPK Touch Solutions and is now gearing up efforts to contact other touch modules makers, revealed the sources.

WPG is distributing OMAP (Open multimedia Application Platform) solutions from Texas Instruments (TI) as well as other related parts from Freescale Semiconductor. Meanwhile, WT Microelectronics stated that the tablet is likely to post the strongest growth in the PC segment in 2011.

The booming table PC market will also boost total consumption of NAND flash chips, which will benefit distributors such as Zenitron, Weikeng Industrial and Supreme Electronics, said the sources, adding NAND flash chips used by tablet PCs will account for over 10% global NAND flash sales in 2011 compared to 5% in 2010.