PC manufacturers looking to deliver touch screen notebooks and Ultrabooks running the new Windows 8 are facing a 70% shortfall in supply with several manufacturers struggling to deliver Windows 8 enabled hardware.Vendors including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Lenovo, Acer, Asustek Computer (ASUS), Dell and Sony are all struggling to get access to global supply of notebook touch screens according to display manufacturers in Taiwan.
Manufacturers of touch panel screens are instead concentrating on the supply of touchscreen tablet and smartphones as there are no indications of consumer demand for Windows 8 notebooks with a touchscreen.
DigiTimes reports that Acer president Jim Wong claims touchscreen notebooks will account for 5-8% of its total shipments in the fourth quarter of 2012, and reach 15% in 2013, citing figures from research firms; however, Wong believes that the proportion will have a chance to reach 20-30% in 2013, if Windows 8 successfully drives demand from consumers.
Other manufacturers claim that with notebook vendors all placing orders at the same time, the touch panel makers are unable to satisfy demand, while poor yield rates have gradually widened the shortfall.
Compal Electronics president Ray Chen claims that the biggest issue that touchscreen notebooks are facing is not demand, but supply, and since touch panels have a rather complicated production process, any issues will easily affect the component’s shipment status.
