Feb 5, 2011 11:28 GMT  ·  By

Though the IT industry seems to have lapsed into a sort of slumber, there are still those that release new products or outline marketing expectations, like Corning, whose new press release deals with, among other things, LCD demand.

With all the new consumer devices being delivered to stores, and with so many of them making use of liquid crystal display technology, LCDs are bound to sell strongly.

No doubt tablets and increasing laptop sales will lead to significant rises in touchscreen models, while affordability is sure to grow as well.

As end-users have probably noticed, a shift is being made in the direction of mobile computing, as desktops are losing ground, marketing-wise.

Granted, desktop personal computers are not expected to ever really disappear altogether, but the number of notebooks is, simply put, getting ever larger in comparison.

Well aware of all these factors, Corning believes that about two billion square feet of LCD glass will be sold between 2011 and 2014.

TVs will likely stick to this solution, the bulk of shipments set to be accounted for by emerging markets.

“This presents an exceptional growth opportunity for Corning. Both our EAGLE XG Slim and Corning Gorilla Glass have emerged as industry leaders for this fast-growing tablet segment,” said James P. Clappin, president, Corning Glass Technologies Group.

“Our research indicates that the LCD TV replacement rate should be twice that experienced with traditional CRT televisions.”

“We envision a world where technology enables seamless delivery of real-time information…a natural and intuitive interaction with the virtual world. This is a world of specialty glass with vivid displays, multi-functional ‘smart’ surfaces, and interactive devices,” said Wendell P. Weeks, chairman, chief executive officer, and president.

Overall, the LCD glass market should reach between 3.6 billion and 3.8 billion square feet by the end of 2011.