The Android Monitor Opportunity?

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According to TrendForce WitsView, while the LCD monitor market declines vendors and retailers might find an oppurtunity in what it calls Android monitors, the somewhat simpler siblings to All-in-One (AIO) PCs.

Android monitorMaking an Android LCD monitor involves little more than adding an ARM CPU and wifi radio to an LCD monitor. The hardware is futher bolstered with touch functionality, adjustable stand and the Android as OS, making what amounts to either a stripped-down AIO/oversized tablet capable of meeting customers' email/video/game needs.

Such devices also have more attractive pricing-- the analyst says a 21.5-inch touch-capable AIO PC costs around $600 while an Android monitor identical in size costs as low as $400.

"LCD monitor makers have to develop new niche products, and Android LCD monitors have chances to be more than an accessory to PCs," WitsView concludes. But will consumers warm up to such devices? After all, earlier examples of the form factor (such as the 20-inch Sony Vaio Tap or the Acer DA220HQL Smart Display) have failed to create much of a splash in an already highly stratified market.

Go Android LCD Monitor, a New Opportunity for Brands (TrendForce WitsView)