LJ Chen, president of TFT-LCD panel maker AU Optronics (AUO), has indicated that touchscreen penetration in the notebook market will only reach 2-5% this year globally, as it may take up to two years for software and hardware to integrate properly.

Chen said vendors of high-end notebooks are still tackling the issue of finding the best ways to operate touch functionalities on notebooks' upright screens. He said netbooks are likely to be first to adopt touchscreens.

Touchscreen penetration in smaller-size handheld devices such handsets and PNDs will be higher than notebooks this year, and touchscreen will become a mainstream feature for smaller-size handheld devices, Chen noted.

AUO started developing in-cell touch panels two years ago, and it has also been developing external touch panels with its subsidiary Cando, Chen said.