Category Archives: Touch Technologies

February 16, 2012 — JSR Corporation began operations at its new Research and Development Facility at JSR Micro Taiwan Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of JSR. The facility bolsters R&D at JSR Micro Taiwan (JMW), which manufactures and sells liquid crystal display (LCD) materials in Taiwan.

Total investment in the facility, including construction fees and evaluation equipment, equals about ¥1.2 billion. Until this facility was completed, JMW provided technical support in the region through a 2007-built lab within its plant.

The 3,400m2 research facility includes a cleanroom, product evaluation equipment, and proximity to JMW’s manufacturing department. Its mission is to develop products consistently, respond rapidly to customer requests, and provide independent and local technical support to customers in newly developing fields.

JSR Group anticipates a rise in demand for LCD materials, following the construction of LCD factories in China by major Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese companies. Taiwan is both a major market for LCD panel manufacturing, and an emerging location for touch-panel materials and related display products.

The JSR Group built a similar R&D facility at JSR Micro Korea in July 2011, as part of an overarching plan for product development.

JSR Corporation produces synthetic rubbers, photo-chemistries and organic synthesis chemistries, and electronic materials, display materials and optical materials. Learn more at http://www.jsr.co.jp/jsr_e/index.shtml.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

February 6, 2012 — Eastman Kodak Co. and the Conductive Polymers Division of Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG will demonstrate a 3.5” touchscreen panel for cell phone applications using Kodak HCF-225 Film/ESTAR Base as the transparent conductive component at the FlexTech Alliance 2012 Flexible Electronics & Displays Conference & Exhibition in Phoenix, AZ, February 6-9 at Heraeus booth #31.

A conductive pattern is screen printed onto Kodak HCF-225 Film/ESTAR Base using Heraeus Clevios SET S masking polymer. Clevios Etch is then used to create the non-conductive areas, and the masking polymer that protected the conductive pattern is removed. The etch technology enables invisible conductive traces, demonstrated in projected capacitive display designs and in LED displays on curved substrates.

“Today’s PEDOT films are up to 100 times more conductive than they were 10 years ago,” said John Bayley, European Sales & Marketing Manager for Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG’s Conductive Polymers Division.

The companies demonstrated these transparent conductive films first in 2011 on a 14” display at the IDTechEX Printed Electronics USA 2011 show, November 30-December 1 in Santa Clara, CA. Read Kodak, Heraeus touchscreen conductive film proves completely invisible to understand the benefits over indium tin oxide (ITO).

“The advent of invisible patterning technology enables PEDOT-based films to satisfy the design goals of smart phone and tablet makers in markets that require very high optical clarity and multi-touch response,” said Dr. Stephan Kirchmeyer, Head of the Functional Coatings Business Unit from Heraeus Conductive Polymers Division.

“The cost and performance of this new technology opens the door to the production of a new generation of touch screens built for electronic devices using high volume web coating manufacturing processes,” said Brian Marks, General Manager, Functional Printing, Eastman Kodak Company. “It is positioned to utilize in-line patterning processes creating substantial cost advantages compared to the sputtering and patterning techniques required in the manufacture of ITO films.”

Kodak’s Industrial Materials Group offers a portfolio of functional films support customers in the electronic, optical and related industrial markets. For more information, visit http://www.kodak.com.

Heraeus supplies precious metals, materials and technologies; sensors; biomaterials; and medical products, as well as dental products, quartz glass, and specialty light sources. Visit the Conductive Polymers Division of Heraeus at www.clevios.com.

January 31, 2012 – PRNewswire via COMTEX — Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM), and e-reader provider Koobe Inc., announced the next-generation Jin Yong Reader uses mirasol micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) display technology. The original Jin Yong Reader had a black and white display. The e-reader is available in Taiwan.

Taiwan is the home for Qualcomm MEMS Technologies’ growing manufacturing base, said Clarence Chui, senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. The mirasol display is the industry’s first to use interferometric modulation (IMOD); a micro-electro-mechanical systems-based technology capable of creating color from ambient reflected light. Qualcomm’s mirasol displays are bi-stable, energy efficient, offer refresh rates to support interactive content and are highly reflective, allowing for superb viewing quality in a wide range of environmental conditions, including bright sunlight.

The MEMS-based mirasol display offers a "new and compelling experience by adding color and interactive content without sacrificing outdoor visibility and battery life," said Simon Hsu, general manager of Koobe Inc.

Qualcomm has had design wins in e-readers for the Chinese and Korean markets with the mirasol display.

Also read: Color displays could boost e-reader sales in coming years

The next-generation Jin Yong Reader, named after China’s best-selling living author, comes preloaded with Jin Yong’s acclaimed 15 novel set (compiled in 36 volumes) and includes access to Koobe’s content libraries, which feature thousands of novels, comics, interactive e-books, animated picture books and magazines.

The Jin Yong Reader features a 5.7" XGA format (1024 x 768 pixels) mirasol display (screen resolution of 223 ppi) and Qualcomm’s 1.0 GHz Snapdragon(TM) S2 processor. Koobe’s custom application interface sits atop an Android 2.3 base.

Koobe provides e-reader solutions to the Greater China market. For more information, please visit http://www.koobe.com.tw/.

Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc. is a business of Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM), which makes 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. Learn more at http://www.mirasoldisplays.com/.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

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January 31, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Cambrios Technologies Corporation, transparent conductor developer, appointed John LeMoncheck as president and CEO, and announced a $5 million Series D-3 financing round from Samsung Venture Investment Corporation. Dr. Michael R Knapp, Cambrios founding president and CEO, led the CEO search and will now become chairman.

Cambrios will use the funding and strategic leadership to accelerate product introductions and commercial growth in multiple consumer electronic device markets.

LeMoncheck’s background includes technology and consumer electronics industries and forging commercial partnerships. As president and CEO of SiBEAM, a pioneer in 60 GHz-based millimeter wave wireless technology, LeMoncheck developed the company into a leader in multi-gigabit communications for the consumer electronics market and successfully led the acquisition of the company by Silicon Image (NASDAQ:SIMG). Prior to SiBEAM, he was vice president of Consumer Electronics and PC/Display Products for Silicon Image, where he led to the company’s successful launch and commercialization of the HDMI standard, now used in over 2 billion devices as the preferred digital conductivity solution for consumer devices. He’s also served in roles at TeraLogic, Arithmos Inc., and Synaptics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from UC San Diego and researched VLSI for imaging and pattern recognition applications at Caltech.

Cambrios’ transparent conductor solutions offer leading-edge optical and conductive properties for the touch, display, photovoltaic and lighting markets, LeMoncheck said.  

Samsung Venture Investment Corporation’s $5 million investment follows close discussions for collaboration on important and valuable projects with the Samsung Group over the past several years. "This is a very important milestone for the overall penetration of ClearOhm materials in our target markets," said LeMoncheck.

Cambrios ClearOhm is a coating material for plastic or glass, and an alternative to vacuum-deposited ceramic materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). It can consistently achieve better transmission and resistance than ITO, Cambrios asserts. The product is available already deposited on PET film or another substrate, or as a transfer film.

Cambrios makes nanotechnology-based transparent electrodes for consumer device electronics. Learn more at www.cambrios.com.

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January 27, 2012 — While Apple’s release of the iPhone 4S in Q4 2011 "unleashed tremendous pent-up demand" from consumers, Samsung used its broad range of smartphones to take the top spot in smartphone brands, reports Wayne Lam, senior analyst, wireless communications at IHS in an IHS iSuppli News Flash.

Also read: Analyst: $10B more semi capex thanks to tablets, smartphones
 
2011 is Samsung’s first turn at the number 1 spot in smartphone maker rankings. Global smartphone shipments grew 54% annually to reach a record 155 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, added Alex Spektor, associate director of research firm Strategy Analytics.

Table 1. Shipments of smartphone companies that have reported results for the fourth quarter of 2011 to date. Other major companies that haven’t reported yet are not included. Rankings by shipments in millions of units. SOURCE: IHS iSuppli January 2012.

  Company Q3 ’11 Shipments (Millions) Q4 ’11 Shipments (Millions) Q3 ’11/Q4 ’11 Quarterly Growth 2010 Shipments (Millions) 2011 Shipments (Millions) 2010/2011 Annual Growth
1 Apple 17                37 117%                47                93 96%
2 Samsung 28                36 28%                25                95 278%
3 Nokia 17                20 17%              100                77 -23%
4 Sony Ericsson 6                  6 -5%                13                20 55%
5 Motorola 5                  5 10%                14                19 35%

 

 Table 2. Global smartphone vendor shipments and market share in Q4 2011. SOURCE: Strategy Analytics January 2012. (Millions of Units)

   

 Q4 ’10     2010     Q4 ’11     2011
Samsung 10.7     23.9     36.5     97.4
Apple 16.2     47.5     37.0     93.0
Nokia 28.3     100.1     19.6     77.3
Others 45.6     128.0     61.9     220.8
Total 100.7     299.5     155.0     488.5
                     
Global smartphone vendor
market share %		 Q4 ’10     2010     Q4 ’11     2011
Samsung 10.6%     8.0%     23.5%     19.9%
Apple 16.1%     15.9%     23.9%     19.0%
Nokia 28.1%     33.4%     12.6%     15.8%
Others 45.2%     42.7%     39.9%     45.2%
Total 100.0%     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%
                     
Total growth year-over-Year % 86.8%     71.4%     53.9%     63.1%

Apple shipped 37 million smartphones worldwide in Q4, up 117% from 17 million in Q3 — the strongest sequential quarterly growth among the top 5 smartphone brands, IHS reports. Samsung shipped 36 million smartphones in the same quarter. While this put Apple back on top (Apple also shipped the most smartphones in Q2), Samsung won the year. Samsung shipped 95 million smartphones in 2011, up 278% from the prior year.
 
Samsung offers "a complete line of smartphone products," for various price points and consumer requirements, Lam said, noting that this strategy carried Samsung past Nokia and Apple. Apple has worked a successful strategy with its iPhone as well: distribution of the iPhone family expanded across numerous countries, dozens of operators and multiple price points in 2011, Strategy Analytics reported.

While Samsung shipped the most smartphones, Apple bought the most semiconductors in 2011, edging out Samsung thanks in part to Apple’s iPad tablet business. "Apple must soon make a decision on whether to jettison Samsung as one of its principal suppliers for chips, screens, and other components. While Samsung has the technology to produce Apple’s components at a high level of efficiency and quality — including the new A6 chip — its expanding role as a principal competitor leaves Apple in an untenable situation. Apple may instead turn to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to produce its A6 chips," noted the US-Taiwan Business Council in a recent report.

"Apple and Samsung continue to run neck and neck in global smartphone shipments, setting up a tight battle for leadership that will continue throughout 2012," Lam predicts. This is a "two-horse race at the forefront of one of the world’s largest and most valuable consumer electronics markets," added Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics.

Nokia, the previous market leader, dropped to third place with a -23% decline year-over-year. Tom Kang, director at Strategy Analytics, explained, “Nokia’s global smartphone market share halved from 33% in 2010 to 16% in 2011. A lackluster touchscreen smartphone portfolio and a limited presence in the huge United States market caused Nokia’s shrinkage last year. Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft will be very much in focus during 2012, and the industry will be watching closely to see how swiftly the two companies can expand in the high-value 4G LTE market that is rapidly emerging across the United States, Japan and elsewhere.”

The market share battle between Apple and Samsung reflects the competition between the two leading smartphone operating systems and ecosystems: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. However, the other major Android licensees — Sony Ericsson and Motorola — did not match Samsung’s strong smartphone performance. This may indicate that "the Android smartphone market is becoming too crowded," Lam said.

IHS (NYSE: IHS) provides analysis on energy and power; design and supply chain; defense, risk and security; environmental, health and safety (EHS) and sustainability; country and industry forecasting; and commodities, pricing and cost. Learn more at www.ihs.com.

Strategy Analytics is a global, independent research and consulting firm. Visit www.strategyanalytics.com for more information.

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January 16, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Optical touchscreen technology company Neonode Inc. (NEON.OB) signed a technology license agreement with a global consumer OEM. The unnamed customer will integrate Neonode’s zForce optical touchscreen technology with color LCD panels on consumer devices, though the device category is not being revealed.

Neonode’s patented touch screen technology for portable devices, zForce, is reportedly more cost effective than other high-performance touch screen technologies. It supports high-resolution pen writing in combination with finger navigation and provides a 100% clear viewing experience. It operates on reflective display panels and is being integrated into mobile phones, e-readers, printer products, automotive applications, and tablet devices.

This contract extends the use of ZForce onto LCD and OLED display-based products, said Thomas Eriksson, CEO, adding that the customer will reduce its bill of materials (BOM) cost and increase device performance.

Neonode provides optical touch screen technologies for small to midsize devices. Neonode offers software licenses and engineering design services to customers such as Amazon, Sony, L&I and Barnes & Noble. Neonode Inc. is traded under the symbol NEON.OB. For more information, please visit www.neonode.com.

Visit the new Displays Manufacturing Channel on ElectroIQ.com!

January 13, 2012 — For the first time, Apple Inc. has publicly published a list of over 150 companies that the electronics giant says represent 97% of its procurement expenditures for materials, manufacturing, and assembly of products worldwide.

See the suppliers here: http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_List_2011.pdf

The disclosure is part of a broad supplier responsibility reporting initiative at Apple. The US-based company has had its ties to China’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer by revenue and the parent firm of Hong Kong-listed Foxconn International, scrutinized recently.

In 2011, Apple conducted 229 audits throughout its supply chain, an 80% increase over 2010. In 2011, the company launched a specialized auditing program to address environmental concerns about certain suppliers in China. Third-party environmental engineering experts worked with Apple to audit 14 facilities. Apple also broadened its age verification program in 2011. The full progress report is available from Apple at http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2012_Progress_Report.pdf

January 12, 2012 — Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), helped introduce two e-readers for the Chinese market, the Hanvon C18 by Hanwang Technology Co. Ltd. (Hanvon) and the Bambook Sunflower from The Shanghai Nutshell Electronic Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Shanda Networking Co. Ltd. Both e-readers target the Chinese market, and both use Qualcomm’s MEMS display technology mirasol.

The Hanvon e-reader incorporating mirasol display technology was unveiled during Qualcomm chairman and CEO Dr. Paul Jacobs’s keynote at International CES this week in Las Vegas. Jacobs also used the keynote to introduce Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor, which show host the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reports as "the first all-in-one processor to hit the market." More from CES: Intel keynote and TI’s 28nm OMAP 5.

Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc.’s mirasol display technology uses interferometric modulation (IMOD); a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based technology capable of creating color from ambient reflected light. Qualcomm’s mirasol displays are bi-stable, energy efficient, offer refresh rates to support interactive content and are highly reflective.

Commenting on the two design wins, Jennifer Colegrove of DisplaySearch said: "The mirasol displays used on the current e-readers are produced in the Gen 4.5 fab that Qualcomm and Foxlink have been operating since mid-2009. Qualcomm has invested about $1 billion to build its fully-owned Gen 4.5 fab, which is expected to be operational in 2012." Read her blog from CES.

Analyst firm IHS iSuppli predicts a slow year for pure-play e-readers in 2012, after explosive growth in 2011. One way to woo consumers will be vibrant, full-color displays, said Vinita Jakhanwal, IHS iSuppli analyst. Mirasol competes with the e-reader standard, electrophoretic displays (EPD), on common characteristics — wide viewing angle, readability in sunlight, low power consumption — and beats EPD with full color displays and fast response speeds, Jakhanwal reports. But EPD generally wins on cost. Read: Color displays could boost e-reader sales in coming years

Both e-readers feature a 5.7" XGA format (1024 x 768 pixels) mirasol display (screen resolution of 223 ppi) and Qualcomm’s 1.0 GHz Snapdragon S2 class processor. The companies’ custom application interfaces sit atop an Android 2.3 base. Battery power, based upon 30 minutes of daily reading time with Wi-Fi off and integrated reading light set to 22% utilization, lasts for weeks.

In November 2011, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies reported its first e-reader design win for the MEMS-based mirasol display, in the Korean market. The form factor, processor, and interface base in this Kyobo Book Centre of Korea e-reader are the same as the 2 devices to be introduced in China. Learn more about the Korean mirasol display launch here.

The Bambook e-Reader includes access to Shanda’s expansive content distribution portfolio, which includes millions of books, magazines and comics. Additionally, interactive content and social features enable users to share favorite passages with friends or send feedback to the authors.

Liu Yingjian, president of Hanwang Technology Co., Ltd., said that their device is "thinner and lighter than any [other] color e-reader." The Hanvon C18 e-reader includes access to tens of thousands of e-books, more than 100 Chinese newspapers and more than 300 magazines. The device features Hanvon’s patented handwriting recognition technology Hanvon Input.

Hanvon Technology Co. Ltd. has expertise in pattern recognition technologies and manufactures consumer electronics. Hanvon is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code: 002362).

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (Nasdaq: SNDA) is a leading interactive entertainment media company in China.

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) creates 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. Learn more at www.qualcomm.com.

January 5, 2012 — US FPD Smart Displays — From Emerging to Mainstream, taking place February 28-29 in San Diego, CA, will feature forecasts and analysis from DisplaySearch and In-Stat analysts, as well as presentations from smart display industry executives.

Sessions preview:

Advancing Smart Display Technologies covers the transition to higher pixel densities at larger panel sizes, the future of OLEDs in larger displays, the impact of oxide TFT development, and the issues of power consumption and sunlight readability on mobile devices.

Interactivity — New User Interfaces for Smart Displays looks beyond keyboards and remote controls to the next generation of smart display interaction: touch, and its alternatives like intelligent assistance from gesture and voice. It will address what level of automation is required, but acceptable for users.

Connectivity — Controlling and Acquiring Devices and Content  considers the connectivity requirement: simple, fast and reliable access to the Internet and/or other devices. Issues include standards and technologies for Internet connectivity, such as compressed wireless and uncompressed wireless for various display sizes and streaming bandwidths.

Content and Apps for Smart Displays focuses on how content drives device functionality. How does the form factor for Smart Displays influence content acquisition and manipulation? Ultimately, does the content drive the device selection process or vice versa?

Smart Phones and Tablets: Extending the TV and Competing with the TV looks at the hot display category of smartphones/tablets and how they affect traditional home media consumption like TV. Interactivity is currently evolving, and the next step is uncertain. The session will examine networked home environments, and the overlap of TV and smartphone/tablet consumers.

TV of the Future considers why TVs are one of the last devices to become “Smart.” Topics include consumer expectations, price points, content, players in traditional and non-traditional realms, and the enabling technologies for smart TVs like voice and gesture technology.

What Features will Future Smart Displays Require? is dedicated to the sensors, audio components, microprocessors, and other hardware that will enable smart display functionalities. The highly diverse universe of Internet and mobile content require advanced rendering and scaling technologies, with greater pixel density.

Register for US FPD Smart Displays — From Emerging to Mainstream at http://www.cvent.com/events/2012-displaysearch-us-fpd/event-summary-333ee09ebd024cb1926df8864efb5e6e.aspx

January 4, 2012 — Tablet PCs are taking over turf in the mobile PC market, making up 25.5% of the sector with shipments of 72.7 million units in 2011, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. Overall mobile PC shipments in 2011 are projected to reach 285.4 million units, up 31% over 2010.

Year-over-year (Y/Y) growth will hit 256% in 2011 for tablets, thanks to strong demand in Q3 and Q4 and a combination of vigorous demand for incumbent devices and competitive new devices hitting the market. Additional distribution channels were also a factor. Tablet PC shipments will be driven by increasingly powerful multi-core processors, mature operating systems, growing application libraries, and higher resolution panels. NPD DisplaySearch forecasts that tablet PCs with 250 to 300 pixel per inch panels will make up nearly 25% of shipments in 2012.

Notebook PC shipments in 2011 are now expected to reach 187.5 million units, up 12% Y/Y, but slightly less than NPD DisplaySearch’s previous forecast of 188 million. Mini-note PC shipments are expected to reach 25.2 million units, up 20% Y/Y.

Notebook PC shipments will bounce back in the long term, thanks to declining average selling prices (ASPs), predicts Richard Shim, senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. The mobile-optimized Windows 8 operating system and new Intel chips, as well as new form factors, such as ultrabooks, will also influence buyers. By 2017, notebook PC shipments are forecast to reach 432 million units, and tablet PC shipments are projected to reach 383.3 million units.

Figure 1. 2011-2017 mobile PC shipments by form factor (millions). Source: Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report.

Mobile PC shipments into emerging regions are growing, with 2011 shipments projected to be 138 million units, up 48% Y/Y, and increasing to 452.8 million by 2017. Mobile PC shipments into mature regions are estimated to reach 147.5 million units in 2011 and grow to 371.6 million units by 2017.  

Ultrabooks are an emerging form factor that is expected to contribute to demand in later years of the forecast. Demand for ultrabooks will be driven by consumer interest in sleek design and convenience like instant-on and long battery life. For the next two years, these devices’ premium price points will temper demand, and there may be some supply limitations in production of displays thin enough for Ultrabooks.

Figure 2. 2011-2017 ultrabook PC shipment forecast (millions). Source: Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report.

Also read: MEMS win, DRAM lose in ultrabook designs

The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report covers the entire range of mobile PC products shipped worldwide and regionally. With analysis of global and regional brands, the Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report provides an objective, expert view of the market with insight into historical shipments, revenues, forecasts and more. NPD DisplaySearch is a global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. For more information on NPD DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at http://www.displaysearch.com/.