70 The PCB Magazine • March 2015
LED Industry to Face Challenging
Market in 2015
The market rise propelled enterprises to oper-
ate in full capacity, and even the enterprises that
had been closed down resumed their capacity.
But in the second half of 2014, the LED mar-
ket plummeted and will very likely continue to
worsen in 2015.
Automotive Industry to Boost
M2M Services Market
"Increased awareness among vehicle owners
about safety is expected to fuel the growth of
the Global M2M Services Market during the
forecast period," says Faisal Ghaus, Vice Presi-
dent of TechNavio.
Consumer Confidence on Tech
Spending Remains High
Consumer sentiment toward technology spend-
ing and the overall economy shows strong read-
ings for January after record highs in December,
according to the latest data released today by
the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
Smart City Technology Market
to Top $27.5B Annually by 2023
"Cities are seeking partners and suppliers to col-
laborate on ambitious programs for sustainabil-
ity, innovation in public services, and economic
development that depend on significant tech-
nology investments," says Eric Woods, research
director with Navigant Research.
DRAM Industry Up 8% in 4Q14
The average contract price in the fourth quarter
was slightly above the prior quarter, driving up
the growth of the DRAM market in 4Q14.
Silicon Wafer Shipments Achieve
Record Levels in 2014
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments in-
creased 11% in 2014 when compared to 2013
area shipments, according to the SEMI Silicon
Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its year-end
analysis of the silicon wafer industry. However,
worldwide silicon revenues increased by just 1%
in 2014 compared to 2013.
Wearable Technology to Reach
$22.7B in 2015
Wearable technology will be worth USD 22.7 bil-
lion in 2015 rising to USD 173.3 billion by 2020,
but the long-term potential of the sector will
make these numbers seem rather small.
Asia's Smartphone Growth
to Slow in 2015
The relentless smartphone growth in the Asia-
Pacific region is set to slow dramatically in 2015.
Asia-Pacific's growth is set to drop from 43% in
2013 to 17% in 2014 and then to just 10% in
2015, largely driven as ever by China, according
to market intelligence firm ABI Research.
Tablet Shipments Slow Down
Dramatically
According to preliminary data, total tablet ship-
ments reached 78.3 million units in Q4 2014,
up 1% from 77.2 million in Q4 2013. Apple fur-
ther consolidated its global market share, due to
anticipated seasonal shipments reaching a 27%
share of the tablet market.
Global MEMS Market Continues
to See Increase in Demand
The increasing number of new applications in
MEMS is one major trend upcoming in the mar-
ket. Consumers are increasingly demanding
smart devices such as fitness and health devices,
smartwatches, and GPS-enabled devices, which
have increased the demand for MEMS devices.
70 The PCB Magazine • March 2015
Electronics Industry News
Market Highlights
