Samsung Electronics launched seven 32- to 55-inch smart digital signage solutions with thicknesses of 29.9mm and bezel sizes of 6.9mm in the second half of 2016, equipped with in-house-developed Samsung Smart Signage Platform and Tizen operating system, according to Digitimes Research.

The global volume of LED chips used in TV backlighting in 2017 will increase slightly on year, with Ultra HD, HDR and quantum dot models expected to increase usage, while direct-type backlights, OLED and adoption of flip-chip LED backlighting to decrease usage, according to Digitimes Research.

Cellular M2M (machine to machine) IoT is expected to be fast developing in the China market since the China government in 2009 included IoT industries as a focus of the nation's long-term development. China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom have been actively deploying IoT networks, according to Digitimes Research.

Shipments of smartphones by Taiwan-based brand vendors and handset ODMs declined 35% on year to 12.36 million units in the third quarter of 2016, according to data compiled by Digitimes Research.

October 2016 average retail pricing for 7W LED light bulbs (equivalent to 40W incandescents) in the China market increased 4.9% from August to CNY27.8 (US$4.10), while 9W models (equivalent to 60W incandescents) also rose 13.9% to CNY30.30, according to Digitimes Research.

Taiwan-based makers shipped 62.29 million large-size (9-inch and above) TFT-LCD panels in the third quarter of 2016, increasing 6.7% on quarter and 6.2% on year, and accounting for 34.3% of the global total, according to Digitimes Research.

The global production value for high-brightness LED chips will increase from US$13.179 billion in 2017 to US$15.250 billion in 2021 during 2017-2021 at an annual compound growth rate (CAGR) of 3.7%, according to Digitimes Research.

Samsung Electronics has launched SUHD (super Ultra HD) TVs, a QD (quantum dot) TV, to compete with OLED TVs launched by LG Electronics, but Samsung Electronics' development of QD display technology is geared toward QLED (quantum dot LED), according to Digitimes Research.

Global shipments of small- to medium-size panels will decrease from 2.647 billion units in 2017 to 2.189 billion units in 2021 or a CAGR of negative 4.6%, according to Digitimes Research.

Among biometrics technologies, facial recognition is in growing application due to its being contactless, quick recognition and easy to use, and this is expected to increase demand for infrared (IR) LED devices which are used to enhance accuracy of facial recognition, according to Digitimes Research.