TrendForce’s latest findings reveal that weaker consumer demand has persisted through 3Q24, leaving AI servers as the primary driver of memory demand. This dynamic, combined with HBM production displacing conventional DRAM capacity, has led suppliers to maintain a firm stance on contract price hikes.
TrendForce’s latest findings show that recent economic data points to a steady cooling of inflation in the US market, prompting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 50 basis points in September to prevent a potential economic slowdown or recession. Additionally, the complex geopolitical landscape and uncertainties surrounding the US presidential election could dampen consumer spending, posing a significant risk to year-end holiday demand. Consequently, TrendForce forecasts that total shipments of MLCCs will reach approximately 1.205 trillion units in 4Q24—representing a quarterly decline of 3.6%.
Concerns over a potential HBM oversupply in 2025 have been growing in the market. TrendForce’s Senior Vice President of Research, Avril Wu, reports that it remains uncertain whether manufacturers will be able to ramp up HBM3e production as planned next year. Additionally, the steep learning curve for achieving stable yields in HBM3e 12-Hi production makes it difficult to determine if a capacity surplus will occur.
TCL Group officially announced on September 26th its plans to acquire 80% equity in LG Display’s 8.5-generation LCD panel plant in Guangzhou (including 10% previously held by Shenzhen Skyworth) and 100% equity of the module factory through its subsidiary, CSOT. The acquisition—with a base price of CNY 10.8 billion—includes the transfer of the necessary technology and support services to operate both facilities.
Meta has just unveiled its first-ever full-color AR glasses, Orion, at Meta Connect 2024. These innovative glasses utilize LEDoS (silicon-based Micro LED) technology and are impressively lightweight at just 98 grams. TrendForce’s recent analysis indicates that 2024 is set to be a crucial year for leading brands venturing into the near-eye display market within the metaverse. Nevertheless, Meta’s AR glasses are still struggling to achieve an optimal balance between FOV and resolution, as well as developing a more robust application ecosystem. It’s predicted that these devices may not be commercially available until after 2027.