Top 10 Trends in Information and Communication Technology Sector for 2018

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

7. Mini LEDs will be available for display backlight next year.

Because the fabrication of Micro LEDs (smaller than 100μm) still faces numerous technological hurdles, LED suppliers are optimizing their existing manufacturing equipment and processes to create “Mini” LEDs (100μm to 200μm) that are much more compact than the traditional LED packages. Backlight units using Mini LEDs can be set on flexible substrates to achieve curved displays. The various applications that Mini LEDs are poised to enter include smartphones, TVs, automotive displays and high-end gaming notebooks. Next year will likely see demonstrations of sample products that use Mini LEDs for display backlight.

8. The formal rollout of automotive chips for Level 4 automation will occur in 2018 and move us closer to fully self-driving cars.

The race to develop smart, self-driving cars has led to a market boom in automotive components and system solutions for processing traffic information and safety control. Key products that are now sought after by car makers include radar modules, image sensors, automotive processors, automotive displays, advanced driver assistance systems and connected vehicle platforms. It is expected that in 2018, major automotive chip suppliers will begin shipping solutions that allow vehicles to achieve Level 4 automation as defined by SAE International. The increasing availability of Level 4 hardware solutions, in parallel with worldwide legislative changes permitting autonomous vehicles on the road, will make the automobile market a vital and lucrative application segment for emerging technology fields such as artificial intelligence/machine learning.

9. The four major foundries will reignite the technology rivalry in semiconductor manufacturing during next year.

In the foundry market, TSMC and Samsung were initially the only two choices for IC design houses when it comes to 16nm and 14nm fabrication. In 2018, however, Intel and GLOBALFOUNDRIES will be joining TSMC and Samsung to offer the next-generation 10nm and 7nm processing nodes. With the four major foundries competing within the same range of semiconductor technologies, significant changes are bound to take place in terms of product design and distribution of profits along the IC supply chain.

As major producers of semiconductor components for consumer electronics, Intel and TSMC in 2018 will directly confront each other for the first time in the market for smartphone application processors. Both companies will position themselves as leaders in the shrinking of processing nodes to the 10nm and 7nm classes. Next year will also marked the first year since Samsung declared that its foundry business will operate as an independent entity. Samsung’s plan for 2018 is to differentiate from other competitors with its deployment of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in its 7nm production. Likewise, GLOBALFOUNDRIES following its acquisition of IBM’s semiconductor business will be introducing its new 7nm technology to the foundry market next year.

10. China to guide the global photovoltaic market in 2018.

The annual global photovoltaic (PV) demand for 2017 is also projected to surpass the 100-gigawatt mark for the first time, with China capturing a lion’s share of about 50%. The outsized contribution of the Chinese demand to the global PV market will continue to 2019. At the same time, products from Chinese solar companies are estimated to responsible for more than 70% of the installed PV-generation capacity worldwide. Developments of Chinese manufacturers – with regard to pricing, production capacity and technology – will have direct impact on the entire solar industry. In the coming year, China’s enormous representation in the global PV supply will result in tougher trade barriers against solar exports from the country. Nevertheless, all participants of the solar sector will also depend on the Chinese demand to survive and prosper, irrespective of where they are based.

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