Notebook touchscreen controller chips have recently seen their prices drop sharply with some even reaching below US$1, down from around US$4 in July, as notebook vendors have turned to push non-touchscreen models to boost sales, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

　　Although some first-tier makers' solutions are still priced at around US$2, pricing has still dropped significantly from the July level, the sources said.

　　The sources pointed out that the addition of touchscreen features has not helped raise demand for notebooks among consumers because these features have resulted in higher product prices. Although touchscreen controller chip prices have reached a new low, notebook brand vendors are still looking to reduce their touchscreen models.

　　In the next six months, the sources expect touchscreen models' share of total notebook shipments to reach only 15% at the maximum, but most likely to stay at the same level as now.