1. It is reported that Samsung OLED panel's capacity utilization rate has dropped to 50% to 60%;
According to the micro-network news, the output of Chinese panel makers has increased significantly, and Korean panel makers can no longer rely on scale alone to achieve their advantages. With the sales of televisions and smart-phone screens weakening, Korean panel makers are crying out.
South Korea's BusinessKorea reported that WitsView, a panel market adjustment agency, recently stated that the price of LCD panels has been declining this year. Take the 65-inch ultra-high-definition (UHD) TV panel as an example. After the quotations at the end of last year dropped to US$354, January fell to 343 US dollars, February reported 331 US dollars, in early March further dropped to 315 US dollars.
These developments have had a particularly big impact on LGD. In the big TV panel market last year, the market share of music displays was the highest. The market adjustment agency IHS Markit accounted for 19% of the data, and the department invested heavily in As for the gold display of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, it is already a cash cow.
However, as China's panel makers attack the LCD panel market, the industry is increasingly worried about the problem of price declines. As a result, Lejin is demonstrating that full-featured devices are keeping costs down.
The situation of small and medium-sized panels does not seem too good. Apple's iPhone X can not be sold, and it has hit Samsung Display Co. The original Samsung display also expects iPhone X to drive OLED panel sales. The result is counterproductive. Some experts estimate that Samsung's display capacity utilization The rate dropped to 50% to 60%.
Goldman Sachs analysts also downsized Samsung Electronics’ profit forecast from fiscal year 2018 to 2020 due to media reports that the iPhone X’s production plan in the first half of the year was not as expected, and that Chinese smartphone makers did not demand OLED panels. Expect strong.
2.TCL develops OLED sub-generation technology to overtake Korean plant;
Gathering micro-network news, Korean media etnews reported on the 9th that the current mainstream production technology of large-scale OLED panels is the White OLED developed by South Korea's LG Display (LGD). Inkjet printing is a next-generation technology. Many Chinese manufacturers are spending money to develop inkjet printing. OLED technology, want to skip the White OLED process, directly using the next generation of technology.
At present, Chinese panel makers have been able to use inkjet printing to produce smaller sized OLED panels. TCL said its Juhua Printing Display Technology has developed a 31-inch 4K OLED inkjet printing technology. Juhua Printing and Tianma , Chinese panda and other Chinese factories jointly research and development. TCL is scheduled to obtain 11th generation inkjet printing technology in 2019.
In addition, the Japanese plant JOLED successfully produced a 21.6-inch 4K OLED panel in 2017. However, the company was financially baffled and the OLED production volume was unknown. The Koreans worry that if JOLED really mass-produces OLED, there will be a huge impact, and the Chinese panel The factory also looked at JOLED and planned to invest in the relevant technology. It may surpass the Korean factory and become a new leader in the industry.
3. The Beijing Branch of BOE received a government grant of 180 million yuan;
On the evening of March 10th, microelectronics reported that BOE issued an announcement stating that the company’s subsidiary, Chengdu’s BOE Chengdu, received a R&D subsidy of RMB 180 million issued by the Electronic Information Industry Development Bureau of Chengdu High-tech Zone on March 9th. Gold should be recognized as current profit and loss in the current month and included in other income. It is expected that this item will generate revenue of RMB 180 million in 2018.
In fact, this is not the first 'big gift' that BOE received this year. Just two weeks after it started in 2018, BOE announced that it had been granted a local government debt exemption.
In mid-January, BOE issued an announcement that the company has signed relevant debt exemption agreements with Fuzhou Municipal Government, Fuzhou Urban Construction Investment Group and Fuzhou City Investment BOE Investment. As the 8.5th generation of new semiconductor display device production line project in Fuzhou has been mass produced, and good The rate reached a relatively high level. After confirmation by the parties to the agreement, they agreed to exempt BOE's loans for the construction of the project totaling 6.3 billion yuan.
4. Mainland China is expected to lead the 8K panel market;
In the ultra-high-definition panel market, mainland China was a follower, but with the rise of the 8K panel, China is expected to become a leader. Nikkei BP Director Akihiro Asami pointed out that China was previously a catcher of the LCD panel industry, and now To become a leader, if China is to lead the LCD panel industry, it needs to use its own hands to open up a new world.
Mainland China is a 4K chaser
Over the past five years, 4K panels have become increasingly popular, and shipments have continued to climb. IHS DisplaySearch data shows that only 4 million KTV panel shipments were shipped in 2013. However, as TV brand makers continue to launch new 4K TVs, consumers are educated. With the increase in demand for image quality and the substantial growth in the mainland market, 4K panel shipments continue to increase. According to IHS DisplaySearch data, global 4K in 2014, 2K panel shipments have grown by nearly 7 times compared to 2013, reaching 2,000 The scale of 10,000 tablets. In 2017, 4K TV panel shipments reached 92 million. There is also data showing that in 2018, 4K TV panel shipments will exceed 100 million. Among the noteworthy are Korean panel makers from 2014. Since the beginning of the year, it has been leading the 4K TV panel market, followed by Taiwanese panel makers in China. Mainland China panel makers have been catching up.
At the same time, the penetration rate of 4K panel market is also increasing. Quzhi Consulting data shows that in 2016, 4K panel penetration rate will reach 24.7%. In 2018, 4K LCD TV panel penetration will increase to 44.5%. This speeds up 4K. The popularity of television. According to the China Electronics Video Industry Association, the market penetration rate of 4K TVs in China has increased from 2% in 2013 to 58.8% in 2017. This 5 years is the fastest growth rate of 4K TVs. year.
Qu Zhi Consulting Li Yaqin pointed out that the 4K panel development speed is too fast, and it has been fully popular in a short period of four or five years. The speed behind this speed is the profit of the industrial chain. The price of a 55-inch 4K panel is nearly 300 US dollars in 2014. However, it dropped to $175 by the second quarter of 2016.
The panel maker's price reduction competition has reduced the price of the whole machine and accelerated the maturity of the 4K TV market. This has slowed the growth of the 4K panel market. Qunzhi Consulting survey data shows that the global 4K LCD TV panel shipments were substantially higher than in 2016. Growth of 70%. By 2017, 4K panel shipment growth was below 50% for the first time. IHS data showed that in 2017, 4K TV panel shipments increased by 46% year-on-year.
However, in order to seek higher profits, panel makers are increasing the output of large-size high-resolution panels. The proportion of 4K in the large-size panel market has been increasing year by year, becoming the main force in the large-size market. According to the IHS Markit report, 2015, UHD products have a 60% share of the 60-inch or larger TV panel market, increased to 85% in 2016, and increased to 96% in 2017. This year, the UHD product share is expected to jump to 99%, and UHD products will Overwhelming share replaces Full HD products.
Liao Wei-lun, head of AUO's product business, pointed out that the global 4K TV penetration rate will increase from 30% in the same period of last year to over 40% in 2018, and the demand for 4K TV panels will also maintain strong momentum in 2018. 4K TV The panel will become the standard for 50-inch and larger TV products.
Positive layout 8K is expected to lead
Unlike 4K panels, Chinese mainland panel makers are expected to become leaders in the 8K industry.
Chinese mainland panel companies started to actively deploy 8K. It is understood that as early as 2013, BOE made the world's first 98-inch 8K ultra-high-definition display; in 2014, it shipped one after another, and NHK Multimedia Co., Ltd. launched 30 locations across Japan. More than 8K photography and broadcast demo tour events became a founding member of Japan's 8K Industry Alliance. In 2015, BOE developed another 110-inch 8K display and 82-inch 8K display. These products have won many international awards; 2016 , BOE has developed the world's thinnest 65-inch 8K display, and in 2017 it has launched 27-inch and 75-inch 8K products. In 2018, BOE will also achieve mass production of 75-inch, 120-Hz 8K products. Huaxing Optoelectronics and Zhongdian Panda Showcasing 8K products on various occasions. In 2017, China Star Optoelectronics exhibited a 65-inch 8K extremely high color gamut surface module and a 65-inch 8K ultra-thin curved surface TV. 2017, China National Electric Panda launched the world’s first 98-inch 8K ultra-high-definition IGZO panel. TV.
In the last two to three years, Taiwanese panel makers in China, Japanese panel makers and South Korean panel makers are also accelerating the layout of 8K panel products. It is understood that Innolux launched the first 8K LCD TV display (60Hz, 65 inches) in the fourth quarter of last year. The company will supply Sharp TV and mainland China TV brands. At the same time, Sharp will also mass-produce the first 70-inch 8K LCD TV in the fourth quarter of 2017 to support the Sharp TV brand. This year, Samsung and Sony will consume almost all of them. From Innolux, AUO and Samsung Display's 120Hz 8K panels. As a differentiated layout, LG Display will likely focus on the development of 8K OLED panels.
8K became a hot word in 2018. Many of them considered 2018 as the first year of the 8K television industry. Ricky Park, director of IHS Markit, pointed out: 'Panel makers are willing to provide higher resolution differentiated products and use high-end products. Products improve profitability. 2018 will be the first year of 8K television.
According to IHS Markit's long-term demand forecast tracking report, it is expected that 8K will occupy 1% of the 60-inch and above panel market by 2018, and will reach 9% by 2020. Quzhi Consulting expects to start 8K TV in the first year of development in 2018. And it is expected to accelerate penetration after 2019. It is estimated that the shipment of 8K panels will reach 9 million units in 2022, and the penetration rate will increase to 3.5%. Chen Rengui, senior vice president of BOE, estimates that by 2022, at 65 inches and above In size TV, 8K penetration rate will exceed 20%.
The 8K and 65 inches above the size of the panel is closely linked. Ya-Qin Li pointed out that the 8K main application is in the 65-inch size segment, 65-inch is 8K entry-level products, 10.5 generation line in the economic cutting 65-inch panel has an advantage. Chinese mainland panel makers are not only synchronizing with the world in 8K technology, but are also the first to lay out 10.5-generation LCD panel production lines, which will take the initiative in the 8K market. Liang Qingxin, executive vice chairman and secretary-general of the Liquid Crystal Branch of China Opto-Electronics Industry Association pointed out that at 10.5 Prior to the launch of the line, Chinese mainland panel makers have been following, but since BOE made the decisive first investment in the 10.5 generation line, Huaxing Optoelectronics has also followed the 11th generation line, and China has occupied a major position in the global large-size panel pattern.
Liang Qingxin suggested that Chinese mainland panel makers should do something and do something wrong. For example, Chinese mainland panel makers will form advantages on large-sized panels. Samsung does not invest in ultra-high-generation LCD panel production lines. Chinese mainland panel makers want to use Its strengths compete with Samsung's weaknesses, and it has made it difficult for Samsung to regain this size in the large-size market. Prior to this, Sharp suddenly stopped supplying TV panels to Samsung and caused Samsung to stalemate. LG Display seeks help.
However, the 8K industry chain is very long, including chips, display panels, video production equipment, storage equipment, network transmission equipment, terminal equipment, etc. If any part of the 8K industry chain is not fully developed, it will limit the growth of the 8K market. 2018 The gestation period of the 8K market from year to year 2020 is full of uncertainties. For example, the 8K panel yield is still climbing, the production capacity is not large, and T-Con and driver ICs are not yet in mass production. With the development of 8K. If mainland China is to lead the industry in the 8K era, it is necessary to open up the 8K industrial ecosystem as soon as possible.
Ouyang Zhongcan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, believes that the Chinese panel industry is facing new opportunities for development. The mainland panel industry needs to develop along the path of 4K, 8K, and 12K. In 2020, Japan is preparing to use the 8K radio to welcome the Olympic Games. In 2022, China also hopes to borrow The Winter Olympics will promote 4K and 8K broadcasting. This is a great opportunity for panel makers. Ouyang Zhongcan said that he has proposed in the two conference proposals that the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television should open 4K as soon as possible by 2020, 8K. With the popularization of 4K and 8K TVs, we will usher in a large-scale wave of replacements, possibly digesting the production capacity released by the mainland's ultra-high generation line.
It is understood that the Department of Electronic Information of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology plans to set up the China Ultra-High-Definition Video Industry Alliance to set up an industrial collaborative development service platform and formulate the “Ultra HD Video Industry Development Action Plan (2018-2022).” Guangdong, Beijing will be the first demonstration to take the lead in realizing related The project was launched. BOE joined the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the Beijing Economic and Information Commission, and advocated the establishment of the Beijing 8K Industry Alliance. The purpose was to open up the whole industry chain of shooting, production, content operation, coding and transmission, and display. China Electronics News
5. The full-screen omnipotence is unstoppable.
In 2018, the penetration rate of full-screen machines was estimated to rise to 45%. Apple iPhone X adopts Notch special-shaped design (commonly known as “bangalo” modeling) and this year has also become the focus of development, but due to patent concerns, consumer acceptance and production difficulty, etc. , material growth is limited.
The Global Mobile Communications Conference (MWC) came to an end, and each mobile phone brand announced its annual trend. The smart machine panel entered a new wave of specifications, full-screen, and special-shaped design became the focus. The research institute TrendForce Photoelectric Research (WitsView) observed this year. Full-screen mobile phones have become mainstream in the market, and the narrower and narrower borders of appeals, or with Notch special-shaped designs, have become a new wave of topics, and they have extended to new types of screen-type fingerprint identification solutions and camera modules with face recognition solutions. Applications.
WitsView Research Associate Fan Bojun pointed out that since 2017, full-screen mobile phones have become the focus of the market. Under Samsung and Apple have released new models one after another, they have brought a wave of high-screen design share. Especially in the smart phone market tends to In the case of saturation and slower maneuverability, the appearance adjustment became one of the changes in the specifications of the mobile phone brand manufacturers, and the full-screen mobile phone became the mainstream of the market, in addition to the active layout of Samsung, Lucky Electronics, and numerous In addition to the Chinese mainland brands, even Sony, which had a more conservative layout in the past year, also launched its full-screen flagship model in the MWC.
WitsView expects that in 2018, full-screen mobile phones will have a chance to quickly climb to 44.6% of the smartphone penetration rate, and will exceed 90% in 2021.
With the adoption of Notch special design (commonly known as "bangs") and the 3D face recognition scheme on Apple's iPhone X released in 2017, Notch shaped design has become the focus of the development of mobile phone brands in 2018. We are actively purchasing cutting equipment to meet the different development needs of our customers.
But WitsView believes that, in addition to the doubts about Notch design patents, consumer acceptance of Notch shaped designs, as well as the production difficulty and derivative costs of Notch special-shaped designs, will affect the positioning and penetration of products. So WitsView anticipates that 2018 Notch The heterotypic design model's penetration rate in the smart phone market will only rise to 15.7%, and will reach 26.9% in 2021. The growth space is relatively limited.
6. TV, smart machine sales double misfortune! Korean media: South Korean panel factory difficult to make a living
With the dismal sales of TVs and smart phones, and the strong competition from Chinese rivals, Korean panel makers have already been in a difficult situation.
Business Korea reported on the 9th that Lee Dong-hoon, president of Samsung Display, admitted that when he took over the chairmanship of the Korea Display Industry Association, the current market conditions are really worse than he imagined in 2017, and China’s production capacity has increased significantly. The industry is no longer maintaining its advantages in terms of scale.
With the TV market entering the off-season, television prices plunged with large-size panels, while smart phone sales were weak, and the demand also affected the demand for small-sized panels. Panel makers faced a double blow. According to the market organization WitsView announced on March 7th. Report, LCD panel prices generally weakened this year, and the price of 65-inch UHD TV panels came to 354 US dollars at the end of last year. It dropped all the way from US$343 in January to US$331 in February to US$315 in early March. .
This is quite unfavorable for LG Display, which has the largest panel market share. Large-size LCD TVs are LG Dislay. However, after Chinese manufacturers enter the market, doubts about the decline in quote prices have become even worse. LG Display has recently begun to tighten Belts, minimize the cost of response.
At the same time, Samsung Display originally expected that the panel business would be booming after securing the exclusive supply contract for the iPhone X. I did not expect that the demand for iX would be unexpectedly weak and would be counterproductive.
Business Korea reported on February 2 that Samsung Display, a panel maker specializing in the provision of OLED for iPhone X, had told its partners to reduce the production of iPhone X components on January 19. It is estimated that Apple will purchase only 2,000 of the iPhone in the first quarter of this year. Millions of panels, instead of the original 40 million, and the amount of purchases will be cut in half again in Q2.
Industry players pointed to this, suggesting that Apple intends to discontinue production of the iPhone X. Samsung Display is the only company that supplies OLED panels for the iPhone X. The number of orders received reflects the iPhone X's production status.