LG regains monitors market lead

New research figures have LG back in the number one position across the branded monitor market. According to IDC, LG screens regained the top spot during Q1, with a 17.7 per cent market share. Samsung dropped to second (16.4 per cent) and Philips came third (11.9 per cent). IDC reported the Australian LCD monitor had experienced solid growth of 20.7 per cent sequentially in unit shipments during Q1. IDC PC market analyst, Michael Sager, said the strength of the post Y2K refresh was continuing to grow the monitor market. The growth was expected to continue through to the end of the next financial year. Despite the positive growth figures however, increasing notebook sales and the longer lifespan of LCD displays would likely cannibalise the external monitor market in the long term, Sager said. “The market will reward vendors who converge Tv’s and monitors for the burgeoning digital home market,” he said.

Toshiba boasts massive notebook sales

Toshiba Information Systems Division (ISD) has claimed its biggest month ever in unit shipments and the second biggest month for revenues on record in May. Toshiba ISD sold more than 22,000 notebooks and recorded revenue of $46.5 million in May — an increase of 15 per cent in revenue and 35 per cent on units for the same period last year. According to research company GfK’s May Inview report, the company held the highest average sell price for notebooks within the top five vendor market. This brought higher margin opportunity and overall increased revenue for the reseller channel, Toshiba said. The company cited Gartner market share figures for Q1, which showed Toshiba with 23 per cent share of the local notebook computing market and year on year growth of 12 per cent.