In 2016, UV LED technology has been rapidly expanding into various application markets including curing, sterilization and purification equipment. The total value of the UV LED market worldwide is estimated to grow from US$166 million in 2016 to US$555 million in 2021 at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27%, according to the 2016~2021 Global LED Industry Demand and Supply Database Report byLEDinside, a division of TrendForce.

Micro-LED is regarded as a promising next-generation display technology that is being quietly developed by major brand companies in various industries. According to LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, displays for wearable devices and large indoor public displays are two applications that offer micro-LED the quickest paths to commercialization.   

The latest 2016~2021 LED Industry Supply and Demand Database Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, states that the introduction of Quad-LED True Tone flash on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus is expected to spur non-Apple branded smartphone vendors to make similar upgrades to camera flashes on their devices. Also, Quad-LED True Tone, which uses more flash LEDs than ever before, will help generate a new wave of demand in the global flash LED market. According to LEDinside, the value of the flash LED market worldwide is projected to grow from US$744 million in 2016 to $811 million in 2017, representing an annual growth of 9%.

GE Lighting’s decision to leave the Asian lighting market has sent another shock wave within the global lighting industry. LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, pointed out that less than 10% of GE Lighting’s total lighting revenue comes from China. Other markets in Asia also make up a very small percentage. At the same time, pricing and brand competition in the region has intensified. By withdrawing from this region and reinforcing its presence in North America, GE Lighting has also shown that the industry’s thinking has shifted from expanding channel network and market share to maintaining profitability and one’s survival.

Prices of LED chips and packages in China rose again during the final week of this August mainly on account of the strong demand from the fine-pitch LED display market, reports LEDinside, a division of TrendForce.    According to LEDinside, major China-based chip supplier San’an Opto and LED display package supplier Xinda Opto announced price hikes of 10% and 5%, respectively, around the same time in August. LEDinside’s analysis furthermore finds that the average LED usage volume for all indoor LED displays will increase from 60,000 in 2015 to 270,000 per square meter over the next two years. With surface areas of mainstream indoor LED display systems remain constant, the usage volume of LED packages for this application will more than triple during this two-year period.

According to the 2016 Chinese LED Chip and Package Industry Market Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, the market scale of China’s LED package reaches 2% year on year (YoY) growth at US $8.8 billion in 2015. The COB LED market has witnessed rapid growth over the past few years. An apparent example is that COB LEDs are gaining higher penetration rate in high-end commercial lighting applications. Meanwhile, outdoor illumination market also finds COB LED packages’ growing penetration rate. Therefore, more and more manufacturers enter the COB LED market. Aside from international manufacturers that entered the market in the early stage, including Citizen, Sharp, Bridgelux and Luminus Devices, leading manufacturers like CREE, Lumileds and Nichia also tapped into the market of COB LEDs. The number of Chinese manufacturers that entered COB LED package market is even higher, including Sunpu Opto, Guangzhou LEDteen Optoelectronics Co., Shenzhen Crescent Optoelectronic Co. and Shenzhen Tongyifang Optoelectronic Technology co. With more players entering the industry, the market has also witnessed huge change. Overall, international manufacturers are still dominant in China’s COB market.

According to the 2016 Global Lighting Market Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, four LED specialty lighting applications that are attracting growing interests include horticultural lighting, surgical lighting, marine/harbor lighting and smart lighting. The combined market scale of these four applications is estimated to grow from US$4.36 billion in 2016 to US$16.4 billion in 2020, with the CAGR during this forecast period reaching 30%.

In response to the rising demand for mobile payment, Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone Galaxy Note 7 includes iris recognition as a standard feature that assists in user authentication. The arrival of Galaxy Note 7 is expected to trigger a new round of hardware competition among smartphone brands as they will also likely to incorporate iris recognition into their flagship devices. According to the latest analysis from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, iris and facial recognition features will gradually become prevalent in mobile devices. LEDinside further estimates that in 2020, global shipments of mobile devices with iris and facial recognition features will reach 400 million units. By that time, the market value of infrared LEDs (IR LEDs) for iris and facial recognition will total around US$250 million. Thus, biometric recognition has become one of the most potentially profitable applications for IR LEDs.

IR LEDs have a long history of development and are used in a wide range of applications on a daily basis. Following the introduction of biometric sensors and biometric identification to smartphones and wearable devices, IR LED can also be used in Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Varied applications of IR LEDs hold great potential in the future. LEDinside estimates that the market value of IR LED (excluding sensors) will reach US $710 million at 24% CAGR by 2020, making it the new blue sea for LED manufacturers.

India’s lighting sector has enjoyed accelerated development recently. The scale of the country’s LED lighting market in particular is projected to expand 47.1% year on year in 2016 to US$1.14 billion, according to the 2016 Indian Lighting Market Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. The government of India intends to turn itself into hub of lighting products across East Asia and countries along the coast. International firms include Osram and Toshiba have taken India as their manufacturing base of global market. India’s domestic and foreign LED lighting demands are both high. It’s expected that the market will see explosive growth over the next two to three years. By 2020, the Indian LED lighting market is forecast to grow to US$1.715 billion. In the current LED industry, although China market is a big cake, developing new markets is still necessary, due to overcapacity and price competition. As a market with great potential, India attracts international enterprise to take it as the next manufacturing base. Aside from low tariff policies based on the Preferred Market Access Policy, other advantages of Indian market also attract investors.   The India LED lighting market is still in its early phase, with opportunities include growing internal demand, promotion of Make in India, zero tariff in Indian market, lighting manufacturers see business potential in Indian lighting market. Meanwhile, product specification improvement can be seen in the market. Moreover, diverse and unique market channels, and differences between the environments of each segment in the lighting industry should be considered carefully when entering the market.

Following LCD and AMOLED, micro-LED has emerged as the next-generation display technology that is expected to be deployed widely in various applications. Increasing interests from electronics giants Apple and Sony during the recent period have encouraged further investments in micro-LED and accelerated the timetable for its commercialization. The latest analysis from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, forecasts that micro-LED displays for smart wearable devices will enter the mass production stage in 2018. The technology will become available for smartphones later in 2020.   “Compared with the existing technologies, micro-LED offers significant improvements in many areas, including brightness/contrast, energy efficiency and response time,” said LEDinside analyst Philip Chang. “It also satisfies the demand for higher pixel density (expressed as pixels per inch or PPI) and other product design requirements, such as flexible and transparent screens. In sum, micro-LED overcomes the limitations of both LCD and AMOLED, and the mass production of displays based on this technology is foreseeable in the near future despite many unresolved technical issues.” Chang added: “Currently, the most significant technical hurdle that prevents the mass production of micro-LED displays is finding the best balance in the trade-off between pixel density and pixel volume. In this matter, Apple and Sony diverge in their strategies to commercialize the technology.”

German-based lighting manufacturer OSRAM has agreed to sell its lamp business unit LEDVANCE to a Chinese consortium that is led by IDG Capital Partners and includes LED manufacturer MLS and Yiwu State-Owned Assets Operation Center. The sale was announced on July 26 and represents a landmark deal in which Chinese LED manufacturer successfully acquires an oversea target with the help of an international investment group. “The sale of LEDVANCE shows major international lighting companies are exiting the LED lighting business due to its unprofitable outlook,” said Roger Chu, research director of LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. “On the other hand, Chinese LED lighting companies have an overall cost advantage and are assisted by the government, so they can take this opportunity to expand their market shares.” 

The value of the global LED market has been growing at a crawling pace as demand for backlight LEDs contracts. Automotive LEDs, however, are one of the few sizable application markets that are developing rapidly along with other smaller markets for niche industrial LED products. The latest analysis by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, finds the replacement of traditional light bulbs with LED light sources continues steadily in the automotive lighting market despite the slowing growth in the regional automobile markets worldwide during the second quarter. While the percentage of LED-based products in developed markets continues to expand, emerging markets are also seeing gradual adoption. LEDinside projects that the value of the exterior automotive LED market will reach US$1.57 billion this year and will grow at a CAGR of 6% in the 2016~2020 period.

The combined shipments of smartwatches and smart bands will reach 7.5 million units this year, and 90% of which will be equipped with optical sensor components used for pulse rate monitoring, according to the 2016 UV LED and IR LED Application Markets Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. Shipments of smartwatches and smart bands together will total 170 million units by 2020, and all of them are expected to incorporate optical sensor components. A common sensor system that measure pulse rate and blood oxygen concentration is the reflective photoplethymography (PPG) sensor. Due to opportunities in health and fitness trends, the reflective PPG sensor is gradually becoming an integral part of most wearable devices. Additionally, wearable optical sensors that can track pulse rate and other health-related data have huge potential in the home healthcare market.

Following the popularization of LEDs, most luminaires’ luminous efficacy has reached 100 lm/W, the resulting surge in C/P ratio has accelerated market penetration. As consumers become more educated about LEDs, light quality has become the most discussed topic on the market.   LED lighting’s new design concept will be increasingly focused on balancing luminous efficacy and light quality, resulting in better LED lighting efficacy and more comfortable lighting environments.

Fierce competition caused major shifts in the global LED package revenue ranking for 2015, according to LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. Nichia remained the leader, followed closely by OSRAM Opto and Lumileds. Samsung LED and other South Korean manufacturers suffered revenue declines due to the price war and the contraction of LED backlight market. By undercutting each other, most manufacturers ended up with lower revenues last year. Some companies’ revenues also decreased when measured in U.S. dollars due to the dollar’s appreciation.

With the development of global LED lighting industry, nowadays, the LED industry in all regions has formed new pattern. The market is no longer occupied by Europe and the United States and other developed countries, many new blue ocean markets are emerging.

As the blue ocean for the development of LED lighting industry, the Southeast Asian market is attracting more and more foreign manufacturers to enter eagerly. And accurate and appropriate product strategy is an indispensable tool for successfully seizing market share in Southeast Asia. Making corresponding product specifications and prices depending on varied products and countries plays a driving role in promoting manufacturers’ own brands or seeking OEM opportunities.

LEDinside, a division of the global market research firm TrendForce, held an exclusive analyst symposium on April 15 at Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall. During this special meet-and-greet event, LEDinside analyst based in Taiwan and Mainland China gathered together to share their latest findings with attendees. The main topic of the symposium was the growing niche or “Blue Ocean” markets for LED technology, such as UV LED, IR LED and automotive LED products. The LEDinside team also gave attendees a comprehensive overview of market outlooks and opportunities from a regional as well as a global perspective, with focuses on China and the emerging markets.

The LED filament bulb became popular in the lighting market mainly because major buyers and consumers in decorative lighting, art lamps, chandeliers and classical luminaires were gradually replacing conventional light sources, including filament bulbs and halogen light sources with LED lights. Previously, traditional LED bulbs failed to meet the aesthetic demands of traditional luminaire manufacturers, which paved the way to LED filaments emergence on the market.

The latest report from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, finds the total value of the global LED market (include both visible and non-visible LED products) arrived at US$14.32 billion in 2015, representing YoY growth of -3%. The market witnessed its first annual decline in value last year mainly because of the price war among the LED manufacturers, with the ASPs of some mainstream LED packages suffering a drop of 40% or more compared with 2014. The rising U.S. dollar also resulted in falling revenues for many manufacturers.

Proliferation of LEDs in the general lighting market has ushered the industry into a new phase of intense competition, contracting net profits, increasingly homogenous products and business models. Innovation has stagnated in the industry. To cope with these difficult market conditions, many companies have turned to niche lighting markets, such as automotive lighting which has a higher entry barrier, and higher profits. The less explored market has become a main development highlight for many companies.

Release Date: March 2016 Language: English Format: PDF   Chapter One: Report Structure and Key Factors Chapter Two: SEA Market Macroeconomics Chapter Three: Lighting Market Scale and Trend Analysis Chapter Four: Manufacturers Introduction and Strategies Analysis Chapter Five: LED Lighting Products Specifications and Prices Analysis Chapter Six: Lighting-Related Policies and Regulations Chapter Seven: ASEAN Developments and Impact on Lighting Industry Chapter Eight: Proposal on Entering into SEA Lighting Market

The LED industrial lighting market has enjoyed accelerated growth in recent years owing to the rising demand worldwide and government subsidies, says LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. According to LEDinside’s latest report, 2016 Industrial Lighting: Explosion-Proof Lamps, the market of LED industrial lighting is forecast to grow from US$2.93 billion in 2016 to US$5.20 billion in 2020, representing a CAGR of over 15% during the five-year period.

LED manufacturers are branching into the niche application markets as the competition in their industry expands. Currently, entering the automotive LED market is regarded as a blue ocean strategy because the market has relatively few contestants and allows for higher pricing. According to the latest Gold Member Report – 2016 LED Market Demand and Supply Analysis by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, the worldwide market value of exterior automotive LEDs for 2015 is expected to reach US$1.21 billion. This figure is projected reach US$2.29 billion in 2020, translating to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% during the 2015~2020 period. Additionally, the market value of standard-power LEDs is gradually declining in contrast to the rapidly rising market value of high-power LEDs. In the future, automotive LED application will take off in the high-power LED market.

LED manufacturers had an especially tough year in 2015. Despite rising LED lighting market demands, and large scale replacements of traditional luminaires, the oversupply situation in the market has caused average sales price (ASP) of LEDs to plunge 30% to 40%. Growing number of manufacturers have incurred heavy losses and exiting the market. With 2016 just around the corner, LEDinside Research Director Roger Chu has listed ten major trends in the market including future LED industry consolidations and technology trends. Listed below are five major trends observed by LEDinside’s analyst team:   1.     Easing LED market growth in the near future Due to the oversupply situation in the LED industry, LEDs ASP prices plunged. LEDinside estimates the global high brightness LED market value in 2015 will increase at an incremental rate of 2% to US $14.52 billion. Even though lighting demands spurred LED usage volume growth, ironically the increasingly energy efficient LEDs are reducing usage volume. Additionally, LEDs still are under immense pressure to further lower prices. Based on these observations, LEDinside projects in the next five years the LED industry Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is unlikely to reach more than 10% in the future.

The scale of the LED lighting market is growing steadily, according to 2016 Global LED Lighting Market Trends Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. LEDinside estimates that the scale of the LED lighting market will reach US$25.7 billion in 2015 and expand to US$30.5 billion in 2016. The penetration rate of LED lighting is also projected to climb from 31% in 2015 to 36% in 2016.   Joanne Wu, LEDinside assistant research manager, stated that sharp price declines have severely impacted the margins of replacement products such as LED light bulbs and light tubes. Consequently, lighting companies begin to shift their focus to professional lighting markets and hope that increases in government spending, especially in new public projects, will create new opportunities. Sectors with tremendous growth potentials include industrial lighting, commercial lighting and architectural lighting.

This year has been very difficult for companies in the LED industry. While LED lighting products are seeing rising demands and have replaced numerous traditional products in different applications, their average selling prices have gone down by 30~40% due to oversupply. According to LEDinside, the value of the market for high-brightness LED products is projected to grow 2% year on year to US$14.52 billion in 2015. Duff Lu, LEDinside research manager, notes that the industry will undergo consolidation next year with companies merging or being driven out of business. With uncompetitive players leaving, the industry will gradually reorganize itself.

According to a recent estimation made by LEDinside, a division of Trendforce, the total lighting market value of the six major Southeast Asian countries - Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines - will reach about USD 4.8 billion in 2015. Out of that amount, about USD 1.5 billion comes from the LED lighting market. Southeast Asia’s LED lighting market had the fastest pace of growth in 2013 with a year-on-year increase of 63%. Though growth lagged during the 2014-2015 period, the rate was still kept at 30% and above. Moreover, the market penetration rate of LED lighting in Southeast Asia has risen with each passing year and at an accelerating speed. Overall, the market penetration rate of LED lighting in the region is projected to grow from 12% to 32% within 2012-2015. Southeast Asia is growing into the most dynamic and promising LED lighting market.

The average monthly price of sapphire has fallen by more than 30% year on year this September, according to the latest 2015 Global Sapphire and LED Chip Market Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. This decline is the result of suppliers expanding their production capacities despite the weaker-than-expected demand.