Prices of LCD TV panels of all sizes have been decreasing since the end of 2Q17, and have not shown any sign of stop so far, according to the latest report from WitsView, a division of TrendForce. In 2Q18, TV panel prices will show further decline for various size segments compared with 1Q18: the 32-inch by 20%~22%, the 43-inch by 13%~15%, the 49- to 50-inch range by 12%~14%, the 55-inch by 9%~11%, and the 65-inch by 14~16%.
According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, the shipments of LCD monitor recorded a positive year-on-year growth of 0.3% in 1Q18. Over the whole quarter, the demand saw drop in January and February, before showing a significant quarterly rise of 40.9% in March.
The sales of iPhone X turned out to be less than market expectation, so Samsung has lowered the utilization rate of OLED production lines. The tight supply of OLED panels over the past two years has also been eased. According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, Apple has initiated the trend of OLED panels, and it is estimated that the penetration rate of OLED panel in smartphones will reach 46% by 2021. Mini LED is overwhelmed by OLED’s technology maturity and competitive costs, so it might be hard for Mini LED to grow in the smartphone market in short term.
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%.
MWC 2018 has concluded and major smartphone vendors at the event have unveiled their smartphone lineup for this year, revealing the development trends in smartphone technology and specifications. According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, full-screen smartphones will become the trend in market this year. The pursuit of narrower bezels and notch designs has emerged, bringing about solutions of under-display fingerprint sensor and applications combining camera modules and facial recognition.