Foxconn is beefing up its HDTV portfolio.
At one point there were talks that Foxconn was setting up factories in North America to handle its booming TV business, but sources recently told DigiTimes that the company is expanding its TV assembly production in China. The company will reportedly add ten additional assembly lines, each estimated to cost around NT$100 million, or $3.4 million USD.
Meanwhile, industry sources claim that Foxconn is gearing up to release a 70-inch LCD TV in Taiwan this April, followed by a release in other markets later this year. It will follow the company's 60-inch LCD TV – using panels developed by Sharp – which saw "positive responses" here in the States, Taiwan and China.
Sources said that Foxconn chairman Terry Gou is becoming more interested in the large-size TV segment. The company has teamed up with Sharp to cut 70- and 80-inch LCD TV panels on their jointly invested 10G line in Japan. The upcoming 70-inch LCD TV will obviously use a Sharp panel, released just in time for the expected increase in consumer demand for large-sized TVs next quarter.
In addition to these two TVs, Foxconn is expected to launch an Ultra HD TV, sporting a massive 3840 x 2160 resolution, in the second half of 2013. Currently the actual physical size is unknown although Sharp is slated to launch two new Ultra HD TVs here in the States during the second half of 2013, the AQUOS Ultra HD in various sizes and the 60-inch ICC Purios. They will feature a built-in 4K upscaler, a 240Hz panel, Active 3D with Bluetooth 3D glasses, built-in Wi-Fi, a dual-core processor and more.
During CES 2013, Sharp also introduced a 32-inch Ultra HD display using the company's IGZO technology. This will be the first IGZO release here in the States, but will cost a pretty penny in the process: nearly $6000 USD. Sharp said it will market the display for professionals, and determine if there's a market for consumers thereafter. So far it's unknown if Foxconn plans to produce displays using this technology.