China-based Tianma Micro-Electronics is showcasing its cost-competitive 4-inch TFT WVGA panels for use in smartphones at 2011 ElectronicAsia taking place in Hong Kong during October 13-16.

The company is also investing in 7- and 10.1-inch panels for tablet PCs, aiming to become one of the world's top-3 small- to medium-size panel suppliers in 2015.

Tianma said its 4-inch TFT WVGA panels have wide viewing angels, high contrast rate of 900:1, and provide over 70% of the NTSC color gamut. The company said it will also be developing other higher level 4.3- and 4.5-inch panels starting fourth-quarter 2011.

According to Tianma, the proportion of the 4.x-inch panels for smartphones has continuously grown, with the possibility of reaching 59% by 2015, from 25% in 2011.

Tianma has also set its foot in 7- and 10.1-inch panels for tablet PCs. The company's 7-inch 1280×800 tablet panels have begun production. It is currently developing 10.1-inch 1920×800 panels for introduction in fourth-quarter 2011. The new 10.1-inch panels will enhance contrast rate to 1200:1 from 800:1.

The annual growth rate of small- to medium-size panel demand may rise over 16% from 2009 to 2015, driven by surging needs of smartphones and tablets, said Tianma.

Tianma said 2011 will see total handset demand reach 1.58 billion units, with 459 million units being smartphones, or 30% of the market share. The company forecast handset demand to reach 2.02 billion units by 2015 and that demand for smartphones may increase to 1.24 billion units.

Tianma was founded in 1983 and owns a 4.5G panel plant in Shanghai. The company obtained a 5G plant in 2009 through buying production lines from Shanghai SVA NEC Liquid Crystal Display. It began developing AMOLED panels in Shanghai in 2010.