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Sharp investing $1.2b in expanding smartphone LCD production, Apple fingered as the major client
Apple's practicing its self-imposed rule of supplier polygamy this week and Japan's Nikkei is telling us all about it. It started off on Monday, when we learned that Toshiba's throwing down some cash to build a new smartphone display production plant, with Apple as the key investor and subsequent consumer, and today we're hearing pretty much the same story, only with Sharp playing the role of Japanese producer to Apple's hardware whims. A "large portion" of the $1.2 billion cost -- identical to what Toshiba's said to be spending -- of expanding Sharp's Kameyama factory is expected to be shouldered by Jobs' cash-rich crew, a postulation also confirmed by Reuters, who's managed to dig up a pair of sources agreeing with the Nikkei. Our Japanese team reports that Sharp has made its expansion plans official, but obviously there's nary a peep about any Apple connection, while DigiTimes says Toshiba has outright denied any involvement with Cupertino. Guess we'll just have to wait for the iPhone 7 teardowns to find out.
Sharp slowing larger LCD panel production, but Sony to feel the squeeze
Reports have surfaced that Sharp will be lowering the production capacity of its new Sakai LCD panel factory by 20 to 30 percent for the next two months, apparently in response to piling inventory in the US and China as production outpaced demand. Sharp however hasn't verified these claims and dutifully reiterated its expectations to meet sales forecasts for the fiscal year of 2010. If true though, the decision is unlikely to affect production of Sharp's own panels anyway, since they're made at the Kameyama plant in Mie Prefecture, which in contrast to 2008, will supposedly maintain its current production rates. Instead, other TV manufacturers like Sony will experience the pinch, as a result of billion dollar joint venture deal inked last year, which moved production of their 40-inch and above panels to the Sakai facility in question. Philosophically though, if a few less Bravia panels roll off the production line, and no recession-burdened consumer is around to mourn them, would we even care?
