August 2017 average retail price for 7W LED light bulbs (40W incandescent equivalents) in the China market decreased 6.0% from June 2017 to CNY25.1 (US$3.8), while 9W models (60W incandescent equivalents) increased 0.3% to CNY32.3, according to Digitimes Research.August average prices for 40W- and 60W-equivalent LED bulbs in Japan stood at JPY1,427 (US$13.0) and JPY1,820 respectively, the former growing 0.7% from June and the latter slipping 0.8%, Digitimes Research indicated.August average prices for 40W- and 60W-equivalent LED bulbs in other markets were: KRW7,654 (US$6.9, up 0.8% from June) and KRW12,258 (down 1.8%) in South Korea; US$15.9 (down 7.6%) and US$20.3 (up 6.8%) in the US; EUR4.6 (US$5.5, down 25.8%) and EUR8.8 (up 6.0%) in Europe.Philips 40W-equivalent LED bulbs and Osram 60W-equivalent models available in South Korea had the highest average lumen-price ratios of 134.7lm/US$ and 244.4lm/US$ respectively in August. In terms of luminous efficiency, Mitsubishi Electric 40W-equivalent LED bulbs and 60W-equivalent models in Japan had the highest average level of 95.5lm/W and 108.2lm/W respectively in August.

Allocated for use in short-range high-resolution automotive radar at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference organized by the International Telecommunication Union, 79GHz (77.5-78.0GHz) frequency band units are expected to gradually replace 24GHz, which is currently widely adopted for automotive millimeter-wave radar sensors, according to Digitimes Research.Currently, 24GHz and 77GHz band units are mostly used in automotive millimeter-wave radar sensors, with 24GHz sensor models detecting ranges of 0.2-30m and mainly used in BSD (blind spot detection) and LDW (lane departure warning). The 77GHz ones are able to detect 100-250m ranges and mainly used in AEB (automatic emergency braking) and ACC (adaptive cruise control), Digitimes Research indicated.Since narrowband 24GHz is relatively inferior in range detection and recognition of objects, and use of ultra wideband 24GHz will expire in 2022, 79GHz will gradually replace 24GHz, and the pace of replacement will accelerate particularly after 2022.In 2017, prices for 24GHz, 77GHz and 79GHz automotive millimeter-wave radar sensor modules are about US$50, US$150-220 and US$100-200 respectively. Based on required safety functions, an ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) should be equipped with at least five millimeter radar sensors: one for detecting long ranges and four for detecting medium and short ranges.Chip manufacturing process for automotive millimeter-wave radar sensors has evolved from GaAs, SiGe to CMOS, with CMOS process featuring integration toward SoC.Since CMOS process can reduce sizes of and production cost for the sensors, prices for such devices are likely to drop to below US$100 in 2022. Global market value for automotive millimeter-wave radar sensors in 2022 is forecast at US$15.96 billion, consisting of US$8.40 billion for short- and mid-range models and US$7.56 billion for long-range ones.

Apple Pay and Android Pay - launched in Japan market in October and December 2016 respectively - are expected to hike consumers' willingness to use mobile e-payment services, as the iPhone has a high share of the smartphone market, and for the latter, HCE (host card emulation)-F software architecture has been adopted for Android devices.Unlike credit cards that use NFC Type A/B for mobile e-payments, providers of handset-based e-wallet services in Japan adopt FeliCa, Sony's contactless RDID card system based on HCE-F technology. FeliCa has dominated mobile e-payment market in Japan, according to Digitimes Research.For the Japan market, Apple has launched FeliCa-enabled iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch 2 and cooperated with transportation/credit card issuers Suica, QUICPay and iD to provide Apple Pay services. Based on a smartphone penetration rate of about 70%, a smartphone market share of about 60% for iPhone and an average life cycle of two years for smartphones in Japan in 2016, there are about 10-15 million Apple Pay-supporting iPhones in use in Japan currently.For the Japan market, Google has adopted HCE-F software architecture for Android 7.0 and above smartphone models to enable users to make payments at FeliCa-based devices. The adoption of HCE-F targets not only local consumers but also foreign tourists who use Android smartphones supporting NFC but not FeliCa in Japan, especially those expected to visit Japan during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

There is gradual awareness in the market that augmented reality (AR) glasses do have the potential to replace smartphones, as Microsoft's HoloLens AR glasses inventor Alex Kipman has claimed the smartphone is already dead, and Oculus chief scientist Michael Abrash has forecast AR glasses will replace smartphones within the next five years.In terms of functionality, the hardware specifications of AR glasses are much higher than those for smartphones, including higher resolution displays, lenses with 3D sensing capability, and various types of sensors and long endurance batteries. However, the technology bottlenecks for the developments of these hardware products are likely to be removed along with the progress of time, enabling AR glasses not only to have complete features of smartphones but also powerful AR applications, moving them closer to replacing smartphones. However, some breakthroughs still needed to be done for AR glasses as there is a great difference on the application of human-machine interfaces between AR glasses and smartphones.People use touch panels and voice control to operate smartphones within a short distance using an intuitive, direct human-machine communication model.In contrast, existing AR input methods are not straightforward, such as the use of touchpads. Some AR features do not address the privacy issue arising from gesture recognition or voice control.

Premier Lin Chuan, who once served as chairman of Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS), and his Cabinet members will resign en masse on September 7, casting uncertainty over the future policies concerning Taiwan's development of AI (artificial intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things), innovation startups and other technologies.Lin has disclosed he tendered his resignation at the end of a national security meeting on September 3 on grounds that he had finished his phased missions. President Tsai Ing-wen has appointed Tainan Mayor William Lai as his succesor, who will take office on September 8.Having served as VIS chairman during 2006-2009, Lin has shown deep understanding of and given high priority to the development of Taiwan's semiconductor and electronics industries. The outgoing premier has identified AI as a key to improving national competitiveness in the next three decades, and has given great support for the Ministry of Science and Technology's (MOST) proposal to build an AI innovation ecosystem in Taiwan. He has instructed the ministry to set up an AI innovation R&D center, and establish robot manufacturing bases in Central Taiwan Science Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park, as well as other related infrastructures.Lin also has stressed that in order to build a complete AI industry, it is highly imperative to cluster existing ICT industries, as well as software and haerdware talent, and how to master diverse AI software programs for different fields and achieve extensive AI applications are also a very crucial task. He has also noted that the government should guide academic and research organizations as well as private enterprises to join the task.As MOST has yet to receive budgets for implementing the AI development strategies, it remains to be seen whether the imcoming premier will endorse and continue Lin's policies. The incoming premier might have his own ideas about AI and other technological development projects, and could adjust related policies and budgets, including those for energy transformation, industrial transformation, AI, IoT, software development, innovation startups, and introducing tech talents from abroad, among others.Taiwan Premier Lin Chuan, center, to step down on September 7. Photo: Shihmin Fu, Digitimes, September 2017

Global demand for large-size public display and digital signage products is set to grow steadily in years to come, fueled by the rise of new human-machine interaction and retail models, as well as by the push to establish smart cities by various governments, according to Digitimes Research.Meanwhile, the rapid development of splicing technology for display products will also work to spur demand for wall display units creating new business opportunities for large-size LCD panels.Global shipments of 32-inch and above public display products are expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% during the period from 2017-2021, with shipments reaching seven million units at the last year of the projected period, according to forecasts by Digitimes Research. AU Optronics (AUO), Samsung Display and LG Display will serve as the top-three suppliers of large-size panels.A large quantity of large-size LCD TV panels will be sold through B2B channels to be used as public display screens by hotels, businesses and retailing applications. Shipments of such large-size B2B panels are likely to reach 4-5 million units by 2021.Overall, flat panel makers are advised to enhance substantially their deployments in the public display market as the traditional PC and TV markets have become mature, while the rise of IoT and big data industries has pinpointed the need to develop new applications.

For the four types of high-speed fixed-line services - FTTH, FTTB+LAN, HFC (hybrid fiber coaxial) and xDSL - currently available in Korea, the number of FTTH service subscribers increased by 46.1% during the period from January 2013 to June 2017. In comparison, those for FTTB+LAN service rose 19.6%, while the subscribers to HFC and xDSL services both actually went down during the same period. Since the FTTH service has been enjoying a higher growth rate, the technology is likely to become mainstream fixed-line broadband service in Korea by 2020, according to Digitimes Research.The number of high-speed fixed line broadband service subscribers in Korea has been growing steadily, expanding from 18.738 million at the end of 2013 to 20.943 million at the end of June 2017. During the period, the FTTB+LAN service saw its subscribers increase from 6.995 million to 8.364 million, while the FTTH had its subscribers grow from 5.107 million to 7.463 million.Fix-line broadband network operators in Korea include top-three telecom operators, Korea Telecom (KT), the SK Group (SK Broadband/SK Telecom) and LG Uplus, and a number of other cable TV operators. Among them, KT accounted for over 40% of the fixed-line subscriber market in the first half of 2017. The SK Group and LG Uplus also recorded steady growths in subscribers during the period, while cable TV operators saw their combined market share in terms of subscribers fell to 15.2% from 16.3% previously.The top-three telecom operators also managed to ramp up total subscribers of their IPTV services to 14.76 million at the end of June 2017 compared to 8.73 million at the end of 2013, largely at the expense of cable TV operators.The top-three telecom operators have been promoting their IPTV services bundled with fixed-line broadband services, resulting in growths for the subscribers to IPTV, FTTH, and FTTB+LAN services, Digitimes research has found.

Combined revenues of Taiwan's top-3 foundries - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), United Microelectronics (UMC) and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) - are estimated at US$9.61 billion in the third quarter of 2017, up 13.3% sequentially but down 0.1% on year, according to Digitimes Research.A pick-up in demand from China's smartphone market will lead to the sequential growth, accordig to Digitimes Research. Meanwhile, demand for 10nm chips for use in high-end mobile devices has been robust during the third quarter.Revenues generated from the communications sector are expected to increase 17.8% sequentially to US$5.55 billion in the third quarter, Digitimes Research indicated. Revenues from the car electronics and industrial segments also played another growth driver in the third quarter rising 15.1% sequentially to US$2.22 billion.TSMC's 10nm FinFET technology will start generating revenues substantially in the third quarter of 2017, Digitimes Research noted. Revenues generated from the process will top US$900 million in the third quarter from only US$70 million in the second quarter.UMC's newer 14nm process began bringing in new revenues in the second quarter, but demand for the process has been disappointing with monthly capacity reaching only 2,000 12-inch wafers, Digitimes Research said. UMC has no plans to expand production capacity for the process.In addition, demand for 8-inch wafer fabs has been growing robustly since 2017 thanks to strong demand for fingerprint sensors and power management chips, according to Digitimes Research. Taiwan's major foundries, which saw their 8-inch fabs run at full capacity, plan to expand production capacity at their 8-inch fabs.

Taiwan's first indigenously produced Earth observation satellite Formosat-5 was successfully launched August 25 from California, the US, into a low Earth orbit, about 720 kilometers high, and will undergo one month of testing before starting a five-year observation mission to collect data and images for natural disaster evaluation, national security and environmental monitoring. This marks a new milestone in Taiwan's space technology development, announcing to the world its entry into the space satellite industry.Formosat-5 is Taiwan's first ultra-high resolution remote observation satellite designed, manufactured, assembled and tested domestically, shedding dawning gleams to the nation's space industry. In addition, the satellite was carried into the Earth orbit by Space X's Falcon 9 rocket, indicating the advent of the "Space 2.0" era, with the global aerospace field, once dominated by NASA of the US, the EU and Russia, is gradually opening up for commercial operations by other countries in the world.Over the past four decades, Taiwan has had many well-developed industries, but some of them have become stagnant or started falling following years of prosperity. Some newly emerging industries are struggling to survive intense price-cutting competition from counterparts in China. Some other industries with high entry thresholds are enjoying booming orders from customers, but they are plagued by shortages in the supply of water, electricity and talent.Sound attitude toward innovative industries requiredAccordingly, it is not impossible for Taiwan to develop space satellite as a new industry and pursue commercial innovations in the sector, but what really matter are: whether satellite-related companies will still exist 10-20 years from now and whether the value of the industry will increase or decrease progressively? The Taiwan government is actively encouraging industrial upgrades and innovation startups with a series of fostering programs, but the key point rests with if the government and private sectors have developed a sound attitude toward the development of innovative industries. Taiwan could continue to introduce innovative product ideas from the Silicon Valley for trial or mass production by taking advantage of its manufacturing capability and lower production cost, but that would only be a repeat of what Taiwan has been doing, which is neither a "disruptive" innovation nor a new commercial mode that the country should be looking for. Taiwan would only be continue earning from the "hard labor" without creating new value or future value. If Taiwan makers cannot move to create their own values and increase profit margins, then the government efforts would eventually amount to nothing.The government has spent NT$5.7 billion (US$188.95 million) on the design, production, delivery, launch and insurance of the 450kg Formosat-5 satellite. And Cheng Liang-gee, Taiwan's minister of science and technology, said that the government will expand its budget to support more aerospace-related projects, such as nurturing the space industry and developing new satellites and technologies. It seems satellite design talent at government-funded research organizations may not have to worry about their jobs. But the problem is that Chen will not always stay on his post, and the government is also unlikely to keep rendering budgets to support the R&D on space satellites. It means such satellite design talent should seek to set up startups or join private enterprises to explore new business opportunities associated with space satellites.Based on related studies, satellite technologies will be widely applied in many areas, including telecommunications, homeland security, autonomous driving and other commercial activities, in addition to the military field, with these applications likely to flourish in the next 20-30 years. Taiwan now boasts very good academic performance in artificial intelligence (AI), but it counts more for these academic achievements to be industrialized and commercialized for maximum economic benefits. Likewise, both the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, should move to work out policy analyses on the space and satellite industries, introduce strategies to nurture new development teams and startups, and help private enterprises find proper positioning in the sectors, so as to make space and satellite become newly emerging industries with great development potentials and niche markets over the next 20-30 years, eventually winning Taiwan a solid presence in global space and satellite sectors.

LiDAR sensors, whose use had been previously limited to surveillance in tunnels and at factories due to prohibitive pricing, will see growing adoption for self-driving, drone and home-use robotic applications, as vendors have been developing solid-state LiDAR sensors of smaller sizes at lower production cost.LiDAR sensors may be inferior to millimeter-wave radars under adverse weather conditions, but are much superior in ranging and recognizing objects under normal weather conditions.Due to reliance on mechanical swivels to change laser beam emitting angles for collecting 3D information on the shape of objects, LiDAR sensors were heavy and entailed high production cost in the past. Instead, solid-state LiDAR sensors can have varying laser beam emitting angles without using mechanical swivels.While US-based Velodyne LiDAR has launched hybrid sold-state LiDAR sensor models with matched mechanical swivels, US-based Quanergy Systems has unveiled a complete solid-state LiDAR sensor, S3, and plans to begin production for sale at US$250 in 2017. In addition to Velodyne and Quanergy, other vendors have been developing inexpensive solid-state LiDAR sensor models, including Israel-based Innoviz Technologies, US-based TriLumina, Canada-based LeddarTech and Phantom Intelligence.LiDAR technology can be used to enable robots to detect and range surrounding objects to avoid collision. US-based Neato Robotics and China-based Ecovacs Robotics have adopted LiDAR sensors for home-use cleaning robots.