In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology, BenQ Taiwan's General Manager, Steve Yang, commends the continued advancement of AI applications within a year but notes that there remains a notable distance between these advancements and their integration into end products.
As global geopolitical tension, economic instability, and persistent inflation affected the recovery of consumer products, Coretronic's shipments and revenue declined in 2023. However, the commencement of mass production at its second Vietnamese factory in February is expected to boost the business this year, and more significant growth is expected in 2025. Overall, since some of Coretronic's projects would only officially commence in the fourth quarter of this year, a stronger growth momentum is anticipated in 2025.
Taiwan-based display giants AUO and Innolux have stepped up their non-display business deployment. AUO has seen a 20% increase in revenue from its vertical business solutions, and Innolux has set up various programs to shift its workforce to more non-display talents.
The Semiconductor Equipment Association Japan (SEAJ) released its January 2024 report, projecting a 25% decline to JPY321.1 billion (US$2.2 billion) in Japan's Flat Panel Display (FPD) manufacturing equipment sales for the fiscal 2023 (April 2023-March 2024). This reduction is attributed to diminished investments by panel manufacturers in large-scale projects.
As cargo ships bound for Europe continue to take the long route around Africa to avoid potential dangers in the Red Sea, manufacturers have adjusted their strategies to account for increased shipping costs and delays. In particular, some manufacturers have been actively placing early orders for TV panels in anticipation of the upcoming Euro 2024 football competition and the Paris Olympics, and panel makers have been using this as leverage in price negotiations during the traditional off-season.
Innovation in display products has always been a focal point at the annual CES event. Looking back at CES 2024, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics stood out with their transparent displays and eye-catching 360-degree foldable panels. Various automotive displays from Taiwanese, Chinese, and South Korean manufacturers showcased the diverse possibilities for the future TV, mobile, and automotive panel markets.
Panel manufacturers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait plan to reduce production significantly during the Lunar New Year, encouraging a price rebound. This scheme has prompted white-box TV suppliers and second-tier TV brands to increase their order volumes while panel prices are still low. Industry experts predict increased utilization rates at panel factories due to this order surge but warn that this could lead to a less robust peak season.
TCL CSOT CEO and COO Zhao Jun talked about automotive display tech breakthroughs and inkjet-printed OLED progress in an exclusive interview during CES 2024.
Asia Optical, an optical components manufacturer, is diversifying its business by collaborating closely with LG Innotek (LGIT) in the high-end mobile and car lens sectors.
Themed "All ON," CES 2024 hosted more than 4,000 exhibitors, featuring 1,200 startups, among them a significant representation from Taiwan. In a groundbreaking move, the event's primary visuals were a product of generative AI, highlighting the technology's pivotal role in the showcase.
A demand downturn has made SK Hynix reduce the production of CMOS image sensors (CIS) and prioritize High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) business in the short term.
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has noted that AI chips have become a key focus for TV brands. The top four global TV brands, including Samsung Electronics, Hisense, TCL, and LG Electronics, emphasized this at CES 2024.
Thanks to Chinese smartphone vendors' effort to prioritize domestic procurement of key components, the local supply chain of organic light emitting diodes (OLED) has grown significantly in recent years. BOE, Tianma Microelectronics, and Visionox will increase their soft OLED shipment in 2024, and it is just a matter of time before China's smartphone brands have their OLED screens 100% provided by domestic suppliers.
Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has recently initiated the "Elderly Technology Industry Action Plan," a comprehensive strategy aimed at advancing intelligent and digital solutions tailored to the health, social, and caregiving needs of the elderly.
Adam Lin, CEO of Taiwan's Largan Precision said smartphone brand customers are upbeat about the sales of high-end models, which may boost the firm's revenue share from the glass-molded and plastic lenses combination.
Taiwan-based display manufacturers AUO and Innolux have been scaling their automotive display businesses, which continue to see revenue growth. AUO made its CES debut this year, showcasing Micro LED and other advanced technologies.
Taiwan-based conglomerate Qisda Corporation has maintained its consolidated revenue above NT$200 billion (US$6.5 billion) for three consecutive years, signaling a resilient performance despite a slight setback in 2023 of discontinued growth.
While the LED market destocked and more projects were launched in the second half of 2023, Tons Lightology (Tons) saw its shipments in the fourth quarter of 2023 surpassing expectations, and its revenue in December 2023 rose almost 60% on-year. The firm is optimistic about its performance in 2024, expecting a double-digit on-year increase.
According to the latest forecast of a market research company, the global investment in display equipment will increase by 82% annually in 2024, of which the proportion of OLED display equipment is expected to account for 54%. Although the investment value is still not back to the level before the COVID-19 epidemic, the warming up of investment has aroused the concern of all walks of life.
In an indication of the massive potential of micro LED microdisplay technology, PlayNitride has signed a strategic agreement with the South Korean microdisplay manufacturer Raontech to supply CMOS backplanes for micro-LED displays. With development understood to already be in progress, the first prototypes are expected for 2025. In addition, UK micro-LED startup Porotech has partnered with Hon Hai (Foxconn) to develop micro LED microdisplays for augmented reality (AR) applications.
To increase chip yield and improve production efficiency, Samsung Electronics has developed a proprietary "Smart Sensing System", which is used for semiconductor process control and management, and also paves the way for the transformation of unmanned and intelligent semiconductor factories.