8-27: CPT is developing a semiconductor process to produce flexible TFT-LCD panels at the closed 4.5G factory, and building a new 6G fab in China for IGZO-AMOLED; etc.
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Chipset |
| With more system vendors engaged in the development of mobile SoC solutions in-house, the market for mobile chips is set to expand a further USD10 billion, according to Digitimes. IC foundries, and EDA and IC design service companies are all eyeing this additional market size. (Digitimes, press) |
| Intel’s recent pledge to expand its business making chips for others highlights its ambition to snatch chip orders for Apple’s iPhones from TSMC as early as 2018. LG, Netronome and Spreadtrum have already signed a collaboration agreement with Intel. Apple Insider, Asia Nikkei, 163, My Drivers) |
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Touch Display |
| Apple has reportedly begun to select its partners that will develop components and materials that will be used for Apple’s next iPhone and it is predicted that these components and materials will be produced starting from May of next year. It is predicted that Apple will let go of most of its current partners, businesses are fiercely competing each other to win orders from Apple. (CN Beta, ET News) |
| Apple is reportedly ditching the Home button for its iPhone in 2017. (CN Beta, The Verge, Bloomberg, Investor Place, TNW) |
| The Japanese broadcaster NHK has teamed up with Sony and Panasonic to develop and sell 8K TVs by 2020 for the Olympics. (Engadget, The Verge, Asia Nikkei, CN Beta, Qudong) |
| Small- to medium-size panel maker Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) has received orders with shipments scheduled through the end of 2016, according to the president Lin Sheng-chang. CPT has fully utilized production capacities at a 4.5G and 6G factory. CPT is developing a semiconductor process to produce flexible TFT-LCD panels at the closed 4.5G factory. (Digitimes, press) |
| Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) is building a new 6G fab in China, with an investment of about USD1.85 billion. It plans to produce IGZO backplane OLED panels in its 2nd phase. The 1st phase production is scheduled to begin at around June 2017, and will produce a-Si LCDs, with a monthly capacity of 30,000 substrates. (Digitimes, press, OLED-Info) |
| Global supply of glass substrates for making display panels is tight in 3Q16 and this will help slow declines in glass substrate price, according to Daniel Tseng, president for Corning Display Technologies Taiwan. (Digitimes, press, ET Today, CNFOL) |
| Wisechip has achieved a breakthrough in transparent OLED production, and mass production will begin by the end of 2016. It has showcased a prototype of round 1.07” PMOLED that features a resolution of 160×136. (OLED-Info, CTime, 51Touch, 88988)
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Camera |
| According to analyst of Yuanta Investment Consulting Jeff Pu, who trimmed his total iPhone production forecast from 120 million for Jul-to-Dec 2016 down to 114 million, Apple’s new iPhone could face supply issues at launch. It is allegedly due to the low yields for the new dual-lens camera and defects in a new waterproof speaker. (CN Beta, Apple Insider, WCCF Tech, Asia Nikkei) |
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Memory |
| TrendForce projects that China will claim 30% of the global NAND Flash consumption in 2017. The country’s share in the total consumption will continue to grow and exceed 40% in 2020. Thus, domestic demand is the driving force behind China’s efforts to build a complete NAND Flash industry chain. (Digitimes, TrendForce, press, TrendForce[cn], press) |
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Battery |
| According to Digitimes, Panasonic shipped 4,552MWh of automotive Li-ion batteries in 2015 for a global market share of 39.8%, followed by BYD 14.4%, LG Chem 12.5%, Automotive Energy Supply 11.1%, Yuasa 5.2% and Samsung SDI 4.4%. Panasonic’s leading market share was due to its partnership with Tesla. In addition, Panasonic and Tesla have set up Gigafactory, a joint-venture Li-ion battery factory, in Nevada. (Digitimes, press, OfWeek, Sohu) |
| Dialog Semiconductor has announced its first gallium nitride (GaN) power IC product offering, using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) 650-volt GaN-on-Silicon process technology. (Digitimes, press, OfWeek, China Times) |