Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corp and Panasonic Corp are said to commercialize their straight tube LED lamps to replace fluorescent lamps within 2010.
Toshiba Lighting & Technology plans to launch two types of straight tube LED lamps, whose brightnesses are equivalent to those of 20W and 40W fluorescent lamps, respectively, within 2010.
Also,Panasonic intends to commercialize its straight tube LED lamps within 2010.
Despite small and medium-sized Japanese manufacturers and Korean manufacturers have been selling straight tube LED lamps in the Japanese market, they have not been as well-known or widely used as LED light bulbs.
As a result, the entry of Toshiba and Panasonic to the market might spread the use of straight tube LED lamps and spur competition in the market.