In 2016, China's smartphone panel capacity is expected to increase steadily, with BOE and Tianma expanding 6G capacity and GVO and Truly Optoelectronics increasing their share of handset panel production. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the key trends affecting China's smartphone panel industry including LTPS and AMOLED technology developments, the role of smartphone makers in the supply chain, capacity expansion plans and panel pricing for each market segment.

Looking forward to the first quarter of 2016, with both China-based makers and international brands aggressively spreading out their new products including all low, mid, and high cost models on the market in the fourth quarter of 2015, the market will have to digest some of the accumulated inventory in the first quarter.

In September, Digitimes Research surveyed China's smartphone supply chain. After analyzing the industry as well as relative market data, it found that in the third quarter, there were 59.8 million new 3G/4G users in China, which is higher than the average growth rate for the first half.

Smartphone sales in China no longer show any significant momentum for growth as the fast maturing market now increasingly relies on replacement demand from existing users.

This Digitimes Research Special Report details Intel's mobile AP strategies, status, advantages, partnerships and operating system support for different smart mobile device markets. It analyzes the CPU giant's operation progress in different industries in 2014 and forecasts Intel's development and direction for 2015 and beyond.

According to Digitimes Research's survey of the Mainland China smartphone supply chain, as well as other relative vendors, increased demand for Apple's new device models, Mainland China's high-end smartphone models experienced lackluster sales in the first quarter of 2015.

Digitimes Research estimates that the global LTE market doubled in size to 445 million users in 2014 and we further forecast that annual growth in the number of LTE users will remain above 70% between 2015-2016, with the overall market reaching 1.466 billion users by 2016, representing 70% of the total number of global mobile broadband (including 3G+4G) users. Driving that growth is the Asia-Pacific region, especially China, and the region will surpass North America to become the world's largest consumer LTE market in the first half of 2015.

Digitimes Research forecasts that in 2015, the global high-brightness (HB) LED industry will have annual growth of 7.5% in terms of output, reaching US$13.7 billion. The total number of LEDs used will reach 186 billion units, representing annual growth of 32.6%, out of which lighting applications will have the highest annual growth rate in terms of usage, reaching 65%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various applications, technologies and market trends that will drive demand in 2015.

In terms of demand in the China market, non-Apple vendors saw weak sales for their high-end models in China's smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2014 as Apple's newly launched iPhone 6 series smartphones took a large portion of their high-end devices' demand away.

Digitimes Research estimates that total 2014 AP shipments will reach 1.52 billion units worldwide, up 19.6% from 2013, and in 2015 the global market will see shipments of 1.65 billion units, growing 8.5% on year. The slowdown is mainly due to a shrinking tablet market. Qualcomm is still expected to lead the market with MediaTek closely trailing thanks to its mature 4G solutions. Intel, assisted by Rockchip and Spreadtrum, will show significant growth in 2015 with global shipments.

This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the strategies of key China-based major panel makers BOE, Tianma and IVO for attacking the different market segments through technology and pricing, and their relationship to local vendors Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Coolpad.

Looking at smartphone sales in the local China market, under the influence of stagnating sales of international brands, a lack of differentiating features in high-end and high-cost/performance ratio products marketed by China-based makers, and ultra-low-cost 4G phones yet to be launched, the third quarter China smartphone market only saw heightened demand during summer promotion periods, and shipments reached 90.6 million units, down three million units, or 3.1% on quarter.