Google's Nexus 6P, Sony Mobile Communications' Xperia Z5 series products and a number of feature phones highlighted the product presentation for the winter-spring session held by Japan-based telecom operators recently, according to Digitimes Research.
Korea panel makers are increasing developments for glasses-free 3D displays primarily aimed at the commerical segment, according to Digitimes Research.
Heading into 2016, China-based panel maker BOE will continue to focus on production of 5-inch HD panels while fellow maker Tianma Optoelectronics will focus on producing Full HD TFT LCD panels, according to Digitimes Research. These trends are on par with developments in 2015.
The production value of memory chips, including DRAM and NAND flash devices, in Korea hit a new high of KRW13.92 trillion (US$11.8 billion) in the third quarter of 2015, compared to the previous high of KRW13.17 trillion reached in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to Digitimes Research.
Sony's planned acquisition of Toshiba's CMOS sensor manufacturing plant in Oita, southern Japan will not only help solve its tight sensor production in the near term but also push it into other sectors such as the automobile industry, according to Digitimes Research.
The global top-five notebook brand vendors and top-three notebook ODMs saw their combined shipments drop 32% and 27%, respectively in October. Although preparations for the year-end holidays greatly boosted shipments in September, shipment volumes returned conservative in October since demand from the end market has not seen any major improvements.
Global shipments of large-size TFT LCD panels is expected to decrease 5.6% on year in 2015 due to a slowdown in orders for PC and tablet applications, according to Digitimes Research.
China-based panel maker Tianma Optoelectronics is expected to ship 10 million high-end smartphone panels in the fourth quarter of 2016 as it ramps new capacity for high-end LTPS TFT LCD displays throughout the year, according to Digitimes Research.
Digitimes Research estimates that China's tablet AP shipments will reach 24.3 million units, staying flat from a quarter ago and down 29.6% on year, as related chip makers are not able to further cut their costs or achieve breakthroughs in product design and therefore, are seeing demand weakening.
There will be 58.7 million tablets, including 2-in-1 and screen-detachable hybrid models, shipped globally in the fourth quarter of 2015, increasing 15.9% on quarter but decreasing 22.6% on year.Shipments will consist of 14 million iPads, 24.5 million non-iPads and 20.2 million white-box units, according to Digitimes Research.
