Novatek, a major driver IC manufacturer in Taiwan, has made a significant breakthrough by securing a spot in the iPhone supply chain. According to a report from Economic Daily News, Novatek’s OLED driver IC is reportedly set to be used in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 series, which would be the first time a Taiwanese IC design company has secured a key chip order for the iPhone. Reportedly, the order is expected to boost NovaTek’s OLED driver IC shipments in the second half of the year by 50% compared to the first half.

As the new iPhone 16 series will debut in September, reports indicate that the model will feature the latest A18 processor, produced using TSMC’s N3P process, with mass shipments expected in the third quarter.

The iPhone 16 series will continue to equip OLED panels, but with expected pixel upgrades, which will also enhance the specifications of the OLED driver IC. Novatek will supply the OLED driver IC for the new iPhone, marking its first entry into the iPhone supply chain and the first time a Taiwanese IC design company has secured a key chip order for the iPhone, the report noted.

Novatek typically does not comment on orders or customers.

Previously, Novatek’s driver ICs have been adopted by Apple’s iPad for several years, but unable to secure an iPhone order. This breakthrough comes as Novatek penetrates the iPhone 16 supply chain via the collaboration with LG Display (LGD) of South Korea, combining with LGD’s OLED panels for shipment.

According to the industry sources cited by the same report, Novatek will begin delivering the OLED driver ICs to LGD in July. These ICs will be assembled into panel modules in the third quarter and then sent to OEMs for new device production, aligning with the AI iPhone launch.

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(Photo credit: Novatek)

Lately, according to South Korean media’s reports, Samsung Electronics has decided that the Samsung Display division will be responsible for all OLED microdisplay projects, while Samsung Semiconductor Inc.(SSI), the Samsung Compound Semiconductor Solutions team, will be in charge of the development of all Micro LED microdisplay projects, the area which is primarily applied in AR glasses with higher display requirements.

It is reported that Samsung considers OLED microdisplays as the preferred solution for the next generation of VR devices. While Apple’s Vision Pro device already utilizes a 1.4-inch 4K OLED microdisplay manufactured by Sony, Samsung, reportedly, is also actively looking to competing for orders for the Vision Pro device in the future.

On the other hand, Samsung’s Micro LED microdisplay products may take longer to enter the market. It is reported that Samsung Display began developing Micro LED microdisplay technology in August 2022. In September 2023, Samsung Display announced the development of a 0.25-inch FHD Micro LED microdisplay. Based on the latest information, these projects might be transferred to SSI.

From the perspective of the Micro LED market development, TrendForce estimates that, driven by the mass production of large displays and wearable devices, the production value of Micro LED will reach USD 27 million in 2023, with a year-on-year growth of 92%.

With the expansion of existing applications and the addition of new applications, it is projected that the production value of Micro LED will reach approximately $580 million in 2027, with an estimated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 136% from 2022 to 2027.

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Affected by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, global LED video wall revenue for 2020 reached a mere US$5.53 billion, a 12.8% YoY decrease, with the European and US markets suffering the most significant declines, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations. In 2021, as overall market demand recovers, and certain components in the upstream supply chain undergo price hikes due to shortage, LED video wall manufacturers have raised their product prices in response. Hence, LED video wall revenue for this year is expected to reach US$6.27 billion, a 13.5% YoY increase.

TrendForce further indicates that the overall demand for LED video walls has been gradually recovering thanks to increased vaccinations worldwide, which have enabled a gradual easing of border restrictions as well as the resumption of major commercial and sporting activities, including UEFA Euro 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In addition, owing to the rising prices of materials in the upstream LED video wall supply chain, such as driver IC, PCB, and LED components, LED video wall manufacturers such as Leyard, Unilumin, and Absen are gradually raising their product prices in order to maintain product profit.

While demand in the Chinese market was the first to recover, the top eight suppliers collectively accounted for a 60% market share

Regarding the ranking of LED video wall suppliers in 2020, Leyard took the leadership position with an 11.3% market share even though its overall revenue declined due to the pandemic’s impact on Leyard’s overseas businesses. Likewise, Unilumin saw declines in its overseas businesses, which caused only a slight drop in its revenue because Unilumin had placed a greater focus on sales in the Chinese market. Unilumin took second place with a market share of 10.8%. Qiangli Jucai, on the other hand, primarily conducted businesses in domestic China. By aggressively strengthening its distribution channels, Qiangli Jucai was able to increase its revenue against the overall downtrend and take third place. Daktronics, Hikvision, Samsung Electronics, Absen, and Shanxi High-tech Huaye rounded out of the rest of the ranking by taking the fourth to eighth places in order.

On the whole, most LED video wall manufacturers, especially companies (including Leyard, Unilumin, and Absen) whose primary markets were Europe and the US, saw declines in their revenues for 2020 due to the pandemic last year. Conversely, companies with a primary focus on the Chinese market, such as Qiangli Jucai and Shanxi High-tech Huaye, benefitted from the recovering demand that began ramping up in 3Q20 and peaked in 4Q20. These companies were able to propel the combined market share of the top eight LED video wall manufacturers last year to 58%, which was four percentage points higher compared to 54% in 2019.

For more information on reports and market data from TrendForce’s Department of Optoelectronics Research, please click here, or email Ms. Grace Li from the Sales Department at graceli@trendforce.com

While major OEMs such as Apple and Samsung prepare to release their new notebook computers, tablets, and TVs that are fully equipped with Mini LED backlights this year, various companies in the LED supply chain began procuring Mini LED chips ahead of time in 4Q20, leading to an explosive demand growth for these chips, which in turn crowded out the LED suppliers’ production capacities for other mainstream LED chips, according to TrendForce’s latest investigations. Given this structure-wide shortage of LED chips, certain LED chip suppliers have been raising the quotes on chips supplied to non-core clients and chips with relatively low gross margins. This price hike is estimated at about 5-10%.

TrendForce further indicates that companies in the downstream LED supply chain have started to aggressively procure components in order to mitigate the impending price hike on raw materials and shortage of components due to manufacturers’ tight production capacities after the Chinese New Year. However, products of certain serial numbers or specifications are already in shortage at the moment, therefore prompting these downstream companies to raise quotes first for small- and medium-size clients who place relatively low-volume orders. As for tier one clients who have relatively higher bargaining power, should they reject such a price hike, they would then need to wait for more than two months in lead times, which is significantly longer than the average of two weeks.

Epistar is currently shipping about 150,000 pcs of Mini LED wafers (4-inch equivalent) per month. As Mini LED chips yield far higher gross margins than do traditional LEDs, Epistar has reallocated some of its production capacities for the latter, less profitable products to Mini LED chip manufacturing instead. On the other hand, San’an and HC SemiTek are directly benefitting from Epistar’s order transfers. In addition to persistently growing demand for traditional LED backlights and RGB LED chips for video walls, San’an and HC SemiTek are also shipping several tens of thousands of Mini LED wafers per month (4-inch equivalent) owing to skyrocketing Mini LED demand.

Worth mentioning is the fact that HC SemiTek’s product strategy of focusing on LED chips for display applications is paying off noticeably. By leveraging its competitive advantage of highly cost-effective products, HC SemiTek’s capacity utilization rates have been fully loaded for two consecutive quarters since 3Q20. On the other hand, about 400,000 pcs in PSS production capacity was suspended last month due to the fire at GAPSS’ fab. This incident led to a 5-10% price hike in key upstream LED chip materials including sapphire wafers and PSS, likely to further exacerbate the price hike and shortage of LED chips.

TrendForce believes that the structural shortage taking place in the LED industry, which led to a price hike for LED chips, can primarily be attributed to the that fact the industry underestimated the production capacity needed for key parts of the supply chain during the infancy of pandemic-related emerging applications, in addition to the corresponding production capacity squeeze, although these issues are expected to be resolved within half a year. As well, the downturn experienced by the LED industry within the past few years led to a clearance of excess capacities and subsequently a highly concentrated supply of key materials in the upstream LED supply chain, including sapphire wafers and PSS. As a result, the suppliers of these key materials now enjoy increased bargaining power in price negotiations. Given the simultaneous increase in material costs and limited material supplies, TrendForce thus forecasts a price hike for LED chips.

For more information on reports and market data from TrendForce’s Department of Optoelectronics Research, please click here, or email Ms. Grace Li from the Sales Department at graceli@trendforce.com