Taiwan makers' shipments of large-size (9-inch and above) TFT LCD panels reached 66.99 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, down 1.4% on quarter but up 4.2% on year, according to Digitimes Research.

LG Chem exhibited a 320x320mm OLED lighting panel at the Lighting Japan 2015 taking place during January 14-16, with the panel having the highest lumen-price ratio of 5lm/US$ among all similar products at the show, according to Digitimes Research.

The global AMOLED panel industry saw an over 10% on-year decline in sales revenue during 2014 largely due to lagging sales from Samsung Display. Despite the decline, Korea makers LG Display and Samsung Display have prospects for the technology in 2015 and will expand accumulative production capacity by 36%, up from the 24% expansion the two makers achieved in 2014, according to Digitimes Research.

Average retail pricing for 46- to 48-inch LCD TVs with 3D capability dropped from US$881 in January 2014 to US$561 in January 2015, down 36.2% on year, according to Digitimes Research.

Microsoft on January 21, 2015 announced Windows 10, but Digitimes Research believes the operating system, though falling in line with the software giant's Mobile First, Cloud First strategy, is unlikely to make any dramatic change to the competition between notebooks, tablets and smartphones in 2015.

Observing vendors' showcases at CES 2015, Digitimes Research believes first-tier notebook brand vendors' 2-in-1 devices are expected face fierce price competition from China's white-box products as well as other mobile devices including notebooks, tablets and smartphones. Meanwhile, China-based smartphone vendors are also expected to grow strong in overseas markets.

During visits to firms in China's smartphone supply chain in November and December 2014, Digitimes Research found that their shipments to the domestic market were weak in the fourth quarter of 2014. But their exports remained strong. Many China-based brand vendors and ODMs who had a strong focus on overseas markets were enjoying strong sales in emerging markets due to seasonal demand.

Smartwatch vendors were exhibiting new prototypes and newly developed parts and components, mainly displays, watchbands and sensors, to test the market responses during the recently concluded CES 2015, according to Digitimes Research.

In a push to make Ultra HD TVs more prevalent in the market, TV vendors are aiming to push lower-priced solutions, which is starting to spur intensified price competition among vendors and related supply chains, according to Digitimes Research.

There will be 38.525 million notebooks shipped globally during the first quarter of 2015, decreasing 16.4% on quarter and 2.4% on year, according to Digitimes Research.