According to the latest IT panel shipment report of WitsView, a division of TrendForce, the total shipments of PC monitor panels and notebook panels in 2017 were 314.94 million pieces, a YoY increase of 3%. In 2018, IT panel makers will focus on reducing border size, increasing viewing angle and resolution. Vendors also aim to drive shipments through specification upgrade. It is expected that the total shipments of PC monitor panels and notebook panels will reach 326.37 million pieces in 2018, a YoY increase of 3.6%.
5G is expected to enter commercial operation in 2020, while vehicles become more intelligent, networked and electric, driving the development of SiC and GaN, the third-generation semiconductor materials. TrendForce estimates that the revenue for SiC substrates and GaN substrates will be US$180 million and US$3 million respectively in 2018.
While conventional LED components are used for backlight, Micro LED and Mini LED technology have been used for self-emitting in displays of consumer electronics. Every LED will then stand for a pixel, increasing the number of LED wafers used by companies. It is estimated that wafers for applications using Micro LED and Mini LED will account for 11.4% of the total LED wafers used worldwide by 2022, according to LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. These applications will become a key driver of the market demand.
Smart lighting has been developed for years, but products and applications are not really used widely. In 2017, however, smart lighting has begun to escalate with diversification of products, continuous improvements of technology, maturing ecosystem of industry chain, and active promotion of manufacturers. According to the latest data of LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, the global smart lighting market reached a value close to US$4.6 billion in 2017 with an annual growth rate of 95%. The market size is expected to reach US$13.4 billion in 2020.
According to the latest data of DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce, the top three Server DRAM suppliers are progressing towards the specification of 32GB RDIMM, and the 1Q18 quotes offered by Server DRAM suppliers will grow by only 4% compared with 4Q17 in order to ensure sales by favorable prices. In 2Q18, as domestic server demand from China rises, the server DRAM prices will continue to rise, says DRAMeXchange.