LCDs are in nearly every piece of electronics these days. If it doesn’t have a shiny, colorful, light up display, it’s not worth owning (and that’s why Lite-Brites are still a great gift). The prices of these panels have been steadily dropping for a long time. People actually used to buy CRTs for price reasons. Crazy.
Despite the speed with which these prices have dropped, it turns out that they likely would have dropped faster if not for the efforts of three companies.
LG Display of South Korea, Sharp of Japan and Chunghwa Picture Tubes of Taiwan pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a total of $585 million in criminal fines for their role in fixing the price of liquid-crystal display panels.
Everyone Chunhwa tonight! LG is paying $400 million. This is the second largest antitrust fine in history. Other countries are investigating the companies and private class action suits are in motion in the US. In fact, Dell, Apple, and Motorola have been named as possible victims and could possibly launch their own lawsuits. Now, how do I get in on one of these so I can get that tiny check (gotta take out lawyers fees after all)?
Not only are the prices fixed, but it seems very likely there's some behind the scene agreement to thrust glossy screens on us.
Sure, some people like them, but not everyone. So why is it going almost 100% glossy.
A quick google search for GLOSSY MATTE POLLS show that between 44% and 54% want matte screens.
44%
45%
48%
68%
50%
54%
72%
The computer industry is definitely not customer-driven, otherwise they'd be giving us the matte option.
Look at Apple, removing the matte option totally from the iMac and MacBook Pro.
Remember, ultimately the name of the game, for them, is to make money. And if they can somehow force everyone to accept one version, glossy screens, then they save money on inventory etc.
Here are some polls below, showing that 45-55% want matte.
_____________
POLLS:
What type of screen do you prefer on the MacBook (Glossy or Matte)
Glossy 32.31 % (10007)
Matte 44.04 % (13639)
Don't Know 23.65 % (7324)
Total votes: 30970
http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=527
What are your feelings on the glossy-only screen in the new MacBook Pro (and MacBook)?
Love it, already ordered one! 5.73%
Looks sharp, planning on buying 15.92%
Looks good, but no plans to purchase 16.97%
Need to see it in person before judging 14.75%
Dislike glossy screen, but will buy anyway 15.06%
Hate glossy screens, will not buy because of it 29.41%
Other? 2.15%
http://www.macosxhints.com/polls/index.php
View Poll Results: Gloss or Matte? [are you well?]
Gloss - I like to shine! 50.00%
Matte! - I'm all about the dull sheen... 48.39%
Yes, thanks... I'm well! 33.87%
No... I'm having a shocker!!... 9.68%
http://digital-photography-school.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8489
View Poll Results: Glossy or Matte (Not Glossy) MacBook Pro Screen?
Glossy 24.14%
Matte 68.97%
Neutral (Doesn't Matter) 6.90%
You Can Choose? 0%
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=244206
View Poll Results: Glossy or Matte Display ? (new imac vs old imac)
Matte 50.00%
Glossy 50.00%
View Poll Results: What's your display like?
Poll Options:
My matte is great 54.10%
My matte is bad 3.28%
My glossy is great 39.34%
My glossy is bad 3.28%
http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/318569/glossy-vs-matte-poll/
View Poll Results: Glossy or Matte screen ?
Glossy 27.27%
Matte 72.73%
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/19/33640023-matte-or-glossy.html
It's quite apparent, from all the whining that the ones who are complaining about Glossy LCD Screens are too young to remember the CRT screen. If they were old enough to remember the CRT, they would know that they were all glossy. No matte. I don't recall seeing any campaigns in the papers calling for matte CRT screens, and i don't recall consumers complaining about them in the local electrical store either...
"It's quite apparent, from all the whining that the ones who are complaining about Glossy LCD Screens are too young to remember the CRT screen."
What the heck are you talking about? When I was born, TVs were fairly new, so I remember very well what CRT screens looked like. I grew up with CRT and I don't recall seeing a single TV, let a computer monitor, that could be defined as glossy... at least as far as the term glossy is applied to what's on the market today. CRTs had a matte finish.
And it's irrelevant anyway as these "glossy" screens aren't actually glossy. The glossy look is supplied by a piece of glass over the LCD screen.
I've said it before, "glossy hides a multitude of sins." Take the glass off and you'll see how bad they really look.
Personally, I have trouble trusting any poll that offers a choice between "glossy" and "matte." Glass displays are not glossy, the terminology screams "reflection" versus "perfectly vibrant, reflectionless displays" which, of course, is a false dichotomy. There's a reason there are no "matte" TVs.
Classic case where asking the customer what s/he wants will not always give you the right answer.
Back on topic, does this mean Apple will start lowering display prices?
I'm old enough to remember CRT screens and loved them, but that was before I knew better. Let people choose between glossy or matte. Don't take away my matte option. Whenever I look at a glossy laptop screen, all I see are reflections and glare. I hate glossy.