Taiwan-Made Netbooks to Take 99 Percent Global Share in 2008: MIC

The information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Taiwan still maintained its global lead in many product categories in 2008 despite the wide impact from the global economic downturn, according to Market Intelligence Center (MIC) of domestic Institute for Information Industry.

Among all global-leading items, netbooks (mini-note PCs) made by Taiwanese companies won a 99 percent global share this year. Other global-leading ICT items from the island, according to MIC`s data, include computer motherboards, notebook PCs, LCD monitors, color display tube (CDT) monitors, digital cameras, cable modems, wireless local area network (WLAN) network interface cards (NICs), digital subscriber line (ADSL) CPEs (Customer Premise Equipment), VoIP routers, IP phones, IP set-top-boxes (STBs).

MIC forecast that the production value of Taiwan`s information hardware industry would reach $115.6 billion, a 9.7 percent increase from 2007, and the value is expected to exceed $150 billion in 2012.

The production value of Taiwan`s networking/communication products, according to MIC, is expected to get strong growth momentum from the aggressive worldwide deployment of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) networks to reach $10.89 billion in 2008, a 15.1 percent annual increase.

MIC also outlined the future technology audio/video application market, which is expected to expand fast as a result of continuous introduction of new services. New services and products for the expanding market are expected to become development focuses, MIC said, especially content-sharing, storage capacity etc.

Environment protection would be the next wave of lucrative business opportunities, MIC said, and the center suggested local ICT companies to plan international standards to meet or exceed Green IT manufacturing criteria as early as possible.

Source: CENS