Category Archives: Displays

April 2, 2012 — Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in 2012, a commercial high-volume tablet based on a medium-sized active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display. AMOLED offers benefits in the weight, thickness, and battery life, but this comes at a higher material cost, says research firm Displaybank, part of IHS.

Though Galaxy Tab 7.7 uses a 7.7" screen, it supports 1280 x 800 resolution, the same as the Samsung’s 10.1" tablet. It is also the thinnest — 7.98mm — of the products released so far. The tablet’s battery capacity is 2100mAh, the highest among 7" products. And finally, it is the lightest — 335g — of products in its size group. These superlatives were achieved from adopting AMOLED for the display, but the accompanying increase in main material cost was inevitable.

Displaybank performed analyis on Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab 7, Apple’s iPad 1 and 2, and other tablets, comparing these to the innovation, cost competitiveness, and supply chain of major components of Galaxy Tab 7.7 (see the table at top).

Access the report, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 (GT-P6800) Structure and Cost Analysis, at http://www.displaybank.com/_eng/research/report_view.html?id=861&cate=1

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April 2, 2012 — Printed circuit board (PCB) technology company Rainbow Technology developed a touchscreen display manufacturing method that offers cost, speed, and environmental benefits over current methods, the company says.

The Rainbow Process Unit, originally developed for PCB production, produces fine line circuitry down to 5um: coating, imaging and developing a substrate in an automated process. Its proprietary etch wet resist is 100% solids- and solvent-free, and does not require pre-drying before imaging. UV LEDs and standard photo-tools create tracks and gaps of 20um and below. Power consumption on the unit averages 3kW.

The process can be done additively using an imaged seed layer to create electroless plated nickel or copper with a Rainbow imaged plating resist to create tracks. It can also be done subtractively using sputtered metal on plastic using a Rainbow imaged etch resist to create tracks.

Grid patterns of 5 x 300um pitch offer more conductivity than indium tin oxide (ITO) or conductive polymers, while maintaining good transparency. The closer tracks and gaps (down to 10um spacing) make touchscreens more responsive, enabling a more feature-rich user experience.

Also read: Reel-to-reel coater eliminates waste of roller-in-bath tools

For more information, visit www.rainbow-technology.com.

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April 2, 2012 — Kyocera Corporation will expand its liquid crystal display (LCD) offering with the acquisition of LCD manufacturer Optrex Corporation, forming Kyocera Display Corporation.

Optrex was founded in 1976, providing small- and medium-size LCDs for automotive and industrial sectors. Optrex’s active matrix thin-film transistor (TFT) and monochrome graphic and character LCDs will join Kyocera’s active-matrix TFT 3.5-12.1” LCD panels, with resolutions from QVGA to SVGA. Optrex’s back-end modularization for displays will complement Kyocera’s Gen 3 front-end LCD fab for polysilicon and amorphous silicon (a-si) display panels. Optrex also brings touchscreen bonding capabilities to Kyocera’s resistive and capacitive touchscreen panels.

The news comes at the same time display giants Samsung and Sharp are making moves to bolster their market share in the overall display market as well: Samsung spun out its LCD Business into Samsung Display Co., and Sharp added Hon Hai as a partner to form Sharp Display Product.

Kyocera Display Corporation will serve automotive and industrial customers primarily, joining semiconductor, automotive, communications, and other components from the Kyocera Group’s 200+ companies.

Optrex America (Plymouth, MI) is now Kyocera Display America, Inc. Optrex Europe (Babenhausen, Germany) is now Kyocera Display Europe GmbH.

Learn more at www.kyocera-display.com. Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO, TOKYO:6971) is the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group.

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April 2, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Samsung Electronics officially spun out its LCD Business as new corporation Samsung Display Co. Ltd, display panel technology and product maker. Donggun Park, EVP and head of the former LCD Business, will lead Samsung Display as CEO.

Samsung Display will begin operations after its incorporation registration tomorrow.

The former Samsung Electronics LCD Business recorded KRW 22.7 trillion (approximately USD20 billion) in annual revenue in 2011. It has 20,000 employees and 5 display production sites globally. The LCD Business operated for 21 years, starting as an R&D unit for Samsung Electronics in 1991.

At an inauguration ceremony, Samsung Display was encouraged to become the #1 global display manufacturer, by Park and about 350 employees in attendance. By unit sales, Samsung’s LCD Business was the second largest display maker behind LG Display. Samsung Display will “supply a wide variety of customized products,” Park said. The new corporate structure will allow Samsung Display to respond to rapidly changing market conditions, the company reports. IHS analysts say the change will boost Samsung Display’s short-term competitiveness, and may herald the long-term dominance of active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) in display technology.

As its own corporation, Samsung Display can attract many more customers without concerns about competitors with Samsung Electronics. Conversely, Samsung Electronics can source panels from multiple suppliers, IHS notes.

Samsung Display Co. Ltd. provides display panel technologies and products for consumer, mobile, IT and industrial applications. For more information, visit www.samsungdisplay.com.

Hon Hai recently took a stake in Sharp’s Gen 10 display fab, which is expected to improve utilization rates for the display company, which lags behind Samsung and LG Display. Hon Hai’s partnership created a new subsidiary called Sharp Display Product.

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March 30, 2012 — Indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes are applied to the majority of display and touchscreen panels, as well as solar cells. As electronic devices with displays proliferate, as is the case with smartphones and media tablets, indium market prices are soaring, Displaybank reports. ITO electrodes are prone to cracking, which presents a problem for flexible displays.

Because of these challenges, researchers are developing alternatives to ITO based on graphene, metallic nano wires, conductivity polymers (PEDOT), transparent conductivity oxides (TCO), and carbon nanotubes (CNT). Corporations, universities, and research institutes around the world are fiercely competing to develop advanced technologies to dominate the market. Also read: Transparent conductors, ITO and alternatives

Displaybank Co., Ltd, issues an analysis report of key patents on next-generation transparent electrode technologies — PEDOT, CNT, Graphene, Metal, and TCO — to keep abreast of accelerated technology development competition of next generation transparent electrodes. Raw data were extracted from a total of 552 patents through close analysis and review on PCT patents that have been issued until October 2011. The report screened 490 patents relating to next-generation transparent electrodes, among the abstracted raw data. Displaybank has closely looked into status of Patent Applications per country, technology, and applicant for patent in the field of next generation transparent electrode, targeting 490 patents that have been carefully screened. Among 490 patents, Displaybank also selected 71 key patents and conducted an in-depth analysis of their technologies. Access reports at http://www.displaybank.com.

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March 28, 2012 — Strong competition in the TV market and low display panel orders have pushed Sharp’s Gen 10 display panel fab in Sakai, Japan, to low capacity utilization rates. Reuters reports that Sony, the original partner in the Gen 10 joint venture, will not make any further investments in the plant. Now Hon Hai/Foxconn will invest JPY 66.4 billion, (US$0.8 billion, a 46.5% share) as joint venture capital into Sharp, reports NPD Displaysearch.

The Gen 10 fab is now a subsidiary called Sharp Display Product. Shareholders will now be Sharp 46.5%, Hon Hai 46.5%, Sony 7%. Sharp and Foxconn will run the Gen 10 together as a company and Foxconn will equally share its capacity. Sharp will outsource more liquid crystal display (LCD) TV OEM assembly business to Foxconn. The relationship could improve economies of scale for both companies, bringing down costs.

NPD Displaysearch’s David Hsieh suggests that Sharp needs the support to both improve its financial situation and find a solution for its Gen 10 capacity. Hsieh says Hon Hai is also taking an important step to enlarge its LCD TV OEM business — especially in 40", 60", and 70" panels — and strengthen its position against Korean counterparts, especially Samsung and LG, in the worldwide TV market. Samsung and LG operate mainly in-house LCD panel production. Samsung and LG Electronics are the world’s No.1 and No.2 LCD TV brand with 18.8% and 12.1% shares in 2011, respectively, according to DisplaySearch reports. Meanwhile, LG Display and Samsung LCD accounted for 27.9% and 24% in large area TFT LCD shipment in 2011, respectively.

Sharp and Hon Hai partnered in July 2011 for LCD TV panel technology, with a license to Foxconn and its LCD affiliate Chimei Innolux, particularly in wide view angle and high transmittance processes. Sharp also planned to buy some mainstream 32" and above LCD TV panels from Chimei Innolux while it refocused its Gen 8 for high-end mobile PC panels, and Gen 10 for 60" and above ultra-high resolution panels. However, Sharp’s capacity utilization problems at the Gen 10, and the decreasing costs of larger panels, have dragged on Sharp’s financials.

Sharp’s Gen 10’s glass substrate input is about 35K/M in Q1 2012 and the major products are 40" (15%), 60" (44%) and 70" (41%) panels, which are not currently supplied by Hon Hai’s Chimei Innolux.

Foxconn is planning to make 9.5M LCD TVs in 2012: 8M for Sony and 1.5M for Sharp. Foxconn acquired Sony’s global LCD TV assembly lines a few years ago and provides manufacturing for Sony.

The alliance between Foxconn and Sharp also moves Sharp towards external customers, which could improve utilization rates. While past key customers Sony and Philips have sourced elsewhere, Sharp could gain Vizio and other new customers thanks to Foxconn.

Sharp may also license its “Sharp” brand to Foxconn, instead of or in addition to contract manufacturing, Foxconn may also design and sell its own products with the Sharp brand worldwide. Sharp could also transfer some advanced display manufacturing technologies to Foxconn: high resolution low temperature polysilicon (LTPS), oxide TFT, color filter, etc. Foxconn is currently building a Gen 6 LTPS fab in China for high resolution mobile phone panels, and may require more technical support.

The partnership could also impact Apple, as Foxconn is the largest system integrator iPads and iPhones, and Sharp is a major panel supplier for these devices. Also read: Apple tops semiconductor buyer list in 2011

Learn more in David Hsieh’s NPD DisplaySearch Blog at www.displaysearchblog.com.

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March 28, 2012 — Spurred by the success of Apple Inc.’s iPhone and iPad, shipments of touch screen displays in devices like smartphones and media tablets are booming, causing the market for touch controller integrated circuits (ICs) to almost triple in size during a five year span.

Shipments of touch controller ICs are set to reach 2.4 billion units in 2015, up from 865 million in 2010, according to an IHS iSuppli Display Electronics topical report. This year, shipments will surge 28% to 1.7 billion units, with strong double-digit growth projected for the next two years before the rate of expansion slows slightly in 2015.

Figure. Worldwide shipment forecast of touch-controller ICs (Millions of Units). SOURCE: IHS iSuppli Research, March 2012.

  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Millions of Units 864.6 1,316.1 1,679.8 1,992.7 2,233.1 2,420.2

"Apple almost single-handedly ignited the market for touch in 2007 when it introduced the iPhone, which featured a multi-touch screen based on a projected capacitive touch technology. Since the appearance of the iPhone, many other smartphone manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon by deploying sophisticated touch sensors for their products," said Randy Lawson, principal analyst for display & consumer electronics at IHS.

Touch technology has branched out from being used mainly in mobile handsets to a wide range of consumer electronic items, expanding the aggregate universe of touch applications. Touch sensors now can be found in tablets, e-readers, all-in-one PCs, portable media players, portable navigation devices, flat-panel TVs and monitors, handheld video game players, automotive applications, digital still cameras and digital picture frames. Together, the number of devices and appliances using some form of touch controller IC is predicted to hit 1.06 billion units this year, nearly double from 514.9 million units only two years ago.

Shipments of touch controller ICs exceed those of touch-screen-equipped mobile devices due to the common use of more than one IC per product, especially in tablets, and because of the relatively low manufacturing yield frequently seen in advanced touchscreen modules.

Projected capacitive touch screens like those first featured by Apple in its products made up 54% of the touch market in 2011. They also will remain the dominant implementation for the space in the years to come, ahead of other touch-sensor technologies like infrared, optical, resistive and surface acoustic wave.

The leaders of the touch controller space last year were Atmel Corp., Cypress Semiconductor Corp. and Synaptics, which together held more than 60 percent share of the market in revenue. Even so, competition abounds in this fast-growing industry, mainly from the Asian suppliers of display driver ICs such as Novatek Microelectronics Corp. and Himax Technologies of Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong-based Solomon Systech International Ltd. Many Asian suppliers are developing their own touch IC solutions, hoping to eventually integrate touch functionality into existing single-chip driver ICs used in both mobile handsets and small liquid crystal displays smaller than 5 inches for the general mobile consumer electronics market.

But while unit shipments of discrete touch controller ICs will continue to grow this year and beyond, revenue growth is expected to be more limited, IHS believes. Touch controller IC revenue this year will reach an estimated $1.5 billion, up 15% from $1.3 billion in 2011, a much lower rate of growth compared to the touch IC shipments. And in contrast to the continuing shipment growth in the years to come, touch IC revenue will peak in 2014 at $1.6 billion before starting to decline the year after.

The less robust revenue picture is due to several factors, including a decline in average selling prices, the falling number of touch ICs being employed per panel in medium-sized applications, and the increasing market pressure from integrated solutions like those offered by the Asian IC firms. ASPs are expected to drop by approximately 12% every year through 2015. Meanwhile, the number of touch controller ICs used in tablets larger than 7" will decline from three or more to only one in many cases.

The integration of touch functionality into the chip-on-glass mounted display driver IC also will present a challenge for touch MCU suppliers in the near future, though the impact of that design approach will be less significant from 2012 to 2015 than the other revenue-dampening effects on the space.

Mobile devices, especially smartphones and media tablets, will continue to lead the consumption of touch solutions and touch-related ICs. Both applications will account for a combined 61 percent of the touch controller market in 2011, and then go on to comprise more than 71 percent of the total touch IC market by 2015.
 
IHS (NYSE: IHS) provides information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape. Learn more at www.ihs.com.

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March 28, 2012 — Manz AG, production equipment supplier, won EUR40 million in contracts for flat-panel display (FPD) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturing tools in March. The company saw EUR33 million the prior month from this sector.

The FPD manufacturing tools were based on Manz’ technology platform for crystalline-silicon solar cell manufacturing. The March orders for equipment and systems to produce components for the FPD industry totaled EUR 32 million, with the rest springing from the lithium-ion battery sector.

Last month, Manz booked an individual order for FPD fab equipment worth EUR33 million. The company’s order backlog stands at over EUR104 million, with non-solar manufacturing sectors accounting for more than 90% of business. Transfering technology amongst manufacturing sectors dampens cyclical fluctuations in each individual market, said Dieter Manz, CEO of Manz.

Visit the company’s website at www.manz.com.

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March 27, 2012 — Electronic paper company Pervasive Displays Inc. (PDi) has partnered with Energy Micro, provider of low-power, ARM-Cortex-processor-based microcontrollers. The companies will develop and prototype a range of electronic paper displays with low power consumption the main focus.

The partners will bring "low-power, low-energy solutions" to dynamic display applications, said Andrea Marchi, VP of sales for Asia-Pacific, Energy Micro. The aim is to bring electronic paper displays to new application spaces, added Damon Hess, business development VP at Pervasive Displays

The alliance has yielded the EPD SK-2 daughter board for the EFM 32 Gecko developer kit, which facilitates demostrations of PDi’s 2" low-power electronic paper display. Retronix created the EPD SK-2 for Energy Micro developers and bundled it with the EFM 32 Gecko. The 32-bit EFM 32 Gecko microcontroller offers an ARM Cortex-M3 CPU, ultra-low power, real-time energy and power profiling, easy installation, and other features.

The kit can demonstrate display performance for electronic retail, warehouse and logistics, and container labels, as well as industrial applications like kanban cards, factory automation, warehouse picking stalls, and shop floor conveyer systems. Also read: The Future is Flexible

PDi’s ultra-low-power displays are digital dot-matrix on paper, operating for years on coin batteries or from energy-harvesting technology. They reportedly offer good readability and viewing angle, in direct sunlight and high ambient light.

PDi makes e-paper technology display modules for commercial/industrial applicatons. For more information, visit www.pervasivedisplays.com.

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March 23, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Optical touch display company Neonode Inc. (OTC BB:NEON) signed a technology license agreement with a leading global manufacturer of consumer displays. The name of the global manufacturer engaged in this agreement cannot be disclosed.

The partnership introduces Neonode’s MultiSensing Touch Technologies to a new market category, the company’s seventh and an additional high-volume one.

Also read: Touchscreens a $14 billion market in 2012

“The trend indicates a demand for touch-enabled user interfaces in all kinds of markets, particularly for high-volume and cost-dependent devices such as toys and feature phones, new types of color e-readers and smart office equipment," said Thomas Eriksson, CEO.

This latest agreement is based on a multi-year license offer based on Neonode’s MultiSensing Optical Touch Technology zForce.

Neonode, Inc. (OTC BB:NEON) develops and licenses optical MultiSensing Touch Technologies, built on Neonode’s touch technology zForce.

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