Industry 4.0 is a concept that has attracted a lot of attention in the global marketplace since its emergence in 2012. Following this conceptual framework, manufacturing companies in various industries have embarked on a mission to transform their operations by deploying smart technologies. TrendForce’s ongoing coverage of smart manufacturing solutions indicates that investments in related hard- and software have been growing steadily. Furthermore, this market is seeing rising demand and a trend towards integrated solutions. TrendForce forecasts that the size of the global market for smart manufacturing solutions will surpass US$320 billion by 2020.
A major bottleneck in the commercialization of Micro LED displays is the mass transfer of micron-size LEDs to a display backplane. Research by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, reveals that many companies across industries worldwide have entered the Micro LED market and are in a race to develop methods for the mass transfer process. However, their solutions have yet to meet the standard for commercialization in terms of production output (in unit per hour, UPH), transfer yield and size of LED chips (i.e. Micro LED is technically defined as LEDs that are smaller than 100 microns). These research findings can be found in LEDinside’s 3Q17 Micro LED Next Generation Display Industry Member Report: Analyses on Mass Transfer and Inspection/Repair Technologies.
The financial industry, which has been labor intensive and data driven, is one of the sectors most affected by the transformative changes brought about by artificial intelligence (AI). The latest AI market analysis by TrendForce finds that the fastest application growth for AI within the financial industry is taking place in the field of investment consultation services.
The confirmation of Samsung Display (SDC) being Apple’s AMOLED panel supplier for the upcoming iPhone devices has spurred other smartphone brands and panel makers to aggressively invest in this display technology. The latest display market forecast by WitsView, a division of TrendForce, finds that AMOLED is set to become mainstream in the global smartphone market in the near future with the penetration rate reaching to almost 50% by 2020.
Computer monitors and notebooks featuring HDR (high dynamic range) have been a highlight in this year’s major consumer electronics tradeshows from CES to Computex. According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, HDR as a feature is now spreading into the PC market following its widespread adoption in the TV market last year. Demand growth of HDR-capable monitors for gaming is especially robust, and correspondingly Taiwan-based electronics brands are actively developing this market segment. The market for HDR-capable monitors are expected to expand rapidly once major vendors in IT industries have established a separate HDR standard specifically for their products.