Current LED chip and lamp prices have plummeted because there are too many similar competitors on the market, said Geet van der Meer, Head of Osram's LED Lamps and Systems business unit recently at a Lighting Japan 2016 forum. To cope with the challenging environment, companies are focusing on product quality, design, digitalization and intelligent devices to pave an alternative road map for LED lighting.

The latest report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, revealed that the global average price of 40W-equivalent (equiv.) LED light bulbs arrived at US$10.6 in December 2015, down 1.6% from November. The global average price of 60W-equiv. LED bulbs for the same month also dropped 0.7% to US$14.5.

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.

Located on the campus of San Antonio College, the recently expanded and renovated Scobee Education Center showcases San Antonio’s heritage and future as an aerospace hub, as well as the wonders of space and career opportunities in aerospace engineering, science and technology.

The latest report from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, finds that the global average price of 40W LED replacement light bulbs fell 3.4% monthly to US$10.8 in November, while the 60W counterparts saw a 3% drop to US$14.6. LEDinside analyst Allen Yu said that the price decline for LED lighting products in November was more significant in China because of online promotional activities during the Singles Day sales. In the European and the U.S. markets, prices returned to downtrend during the same month after experiencing an uptick in October. As for China’s LED package market, demand has been picking up compared with the third quarter but still lags far behind expectations. Currently, the downtrend in the Chinese package market is caused mainly by the decline of mid- and high-power LED package products. The room for further price reduction is relatively smaller for standard LED package products.

2016 LED Market Demand and Supply Analysis

The Indian government is halting subsidies to CFL-based solar lights to encourage the adoption of LED solar lights, reportedLive Mint.

Light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturers are now looking to develop niche application markets that can provide higher margins as the price competition in the LED lighting market has become too difficult for them. Among these niche application markets, ultraviolet (UV) LED has attracted investments from many manufacturers because of its enormous market value. The UV LED market has much higher technological barrier to entry, so prices of its products are several tens of times greater than those of the general LED products. LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, states that the global UV LED market in 2015 is estimated at US$122 million, which is around the same level as in 2014, in its 2015 Global LED Industry Supply and Demand Database Report. The absence of noticeable growth in the market value this year is mainly attributed to the rapid decline in UV-A LED prices (UV-A spectrum is between 320~400nm in wavelength).

 Light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturers had an especially tough year in 2015. “Despite rising LED lighting market demand and the large scale replacement of traditional lighting products, the oversupply situation has caused the average LED sales prices (ASPs) to plunge 30% to 40% year on year,” said Roger Chu, research director for LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. “Growing number of manufacturers have incurred heavy losses and exiting the market.”

With the growing popularity of handheld devices nowadays, face recognition becomes the hottest technology after fingerprint authentication in response to the rising trading mechanism of mobile payment and mobile commerce to strengthen personal data protection. Face recognition technology is used to detect and to recognize user’s facial features which can unlock handheld devices and PCs and authorize on-line transactions while convenience and safety are guaranteed for users. The application of face recognition will gradually be introduced to mobile devices to replace the traditional password entry and to reinforce transaction security.

Returning to EcoLight Tech Asia 2015 show grounds for the second consecutive year, something was distinctively different at the show that runs from November 19 to 21 this year. The show hosted by NCC Exhibition Organizer and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) added two new energy saving technologies to its show this year—solar panels and air conditioning technologies. 

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.

According to the latest report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, the global average price of 40W LED replacement light bulbs rose 2.8% monthly to US$11.1 in October, while the 60W replacement bulbs rose 3.5% to US$15. LEDinside analyst Allen Yu said that vendors in the U.S. and Europe have called a truce in their price war after three consecutive quarters of downtrend. Prices of some promoted products thus saw noticeable rebound in the first half of October. LEDinside also reports that the Chinese LED package market saw prices falling in same month despite a demand upturn in the TV backlight application.

The three most important light sources to impact human life in the 21st century will be sunlight, LEDs and lasers, said Professor Puspendu Das, Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Traditionally, manufacturers have contended for a spot in Apple’s supply chain, despite of its draconian demands. As seen in GTAT and the Cupertino-based company’s ugly fall out in October 2014, Apple might change the spec requirements of its customized products anytime, and expect suppliers to deliver in a short time frame. Additionally, a heavy US $50 million penalty is placed on manufacturers that breach confidential agreements. With strong product sales and a loyal consumer base, Apple might be appealing to work with, but being its supplier can be taxing.

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.

GE announced Current, powered by GE, a first-of-its kind energy company that integrates GE’s LED, Solar, Energy Storage and Electric Vehicle businesses with its industrial strength Predix platform to identify and deliver the most cost effective, efficient energy solutions required by customers today and in the future. Maryrose Sylvester, who as President and CEO at GE Lighting has led the transformation of one of the company’s most iconic businesses, will lead the new enterprise. Current is backed by GE’s balance sheet and financing expertise, and committed to successfully advancing ecomagination-certified technology solutions, new business models and Predix solutions for the energy sector.

Chinese manufacturers exported LED lighting goods to India for the first eight months of 2015 reached US $355 million, according to a DIGITIMES report.

The method helps discovering the most efficient lamps, which may save billions in lighting costs in the future.

According to the latest 2015 Global LED Industry Supply and Demand Database Report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, capacity expansion efforts of Chinese LED chip manufacturers have resulted a supply glut with this year’s LED chip supply-demand ratio reaching 22%. LEDinside also estimates that the global MOCVD installed volume in 2015 will grow to 3,130 chambers, among which 1,473 are located in China and will account for 47% of this year’s global MOCVD capacity (MOCVD systems used in the calculation are of the K465i model).

The global average price of 40W replacement LED light bulbs fell 1.5% in August to US$10.9, while the 60W replacement LED light bulbs fell 2.3% to US$14.9, based on the latest report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. The U.S. was again the regional market that had the biggest decline in LED light bulb prices after July as product vendors including CREE and Philips are using package promotion deals and low prices to drive up sales volume and capture market shares, according to LEDinside analyst Allen Yu,. Furthermore, Chinese LED and chip manufacturers have been gradually expanding their capacities, pushing down component prices during this period of slowing demand. The competition in the LED market on the whole has therefore become more heated.

Fashion-forward jewelry brand Kendra Scott now features a central luminous patterned wall in several of its retail stores. In each store, the patterned wall is located behind the ColorBarTM by Kendra Scott experience, an area in the store where customers can customize their own jewelry. Third-party LED modules are used to backlight the frosted acrylic Danielle jewel shape that comprise the wall. Traxon & e:cue worked with the Kendra Scott design team to develop various scenes reflecting the colors of the jewelry. Each store location also has unique scenes programmed for their geographical region.

LEDinside Silver+ Member Report   3Q15 Residential Lighting- Bulb and Downlight Market   Global LED residential market is still in a transitional phase. Despite the dim global economic outlook, rapid growth is expected in the global LED residential lighting market.

A lot has happened in the field of automotive lighting in recent years. Modern technologies such as LED, OLED and laser are very much on the advance. Richard Lothholz, Global Head of Sales Automotive Lamps and LED at OSRAM, answers questions about the development of automotive lighting technology.

Researchers at the Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT), University of Hanover, Germany, have developed a self-contained fiber optic sensor for smartphones with the potential for use in a wide variety of biomolecular tests, including those for detecting pregnancy or monitoring diabetes. The readings of the sensor can run through an application on a smartphone which provide real-time results. When properly provisioned, the smartphone-user has the ability to monitor multiple types of body fluids, including: blood, urine, saliva, sweat or breath. In case of medical applications, the sensor readings can be combined with the GPS signal of a smartphone and users can then be guided to the next drug store, hospital or the ambulance.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published LE 6-2014 Procedure for Determining Target Efficacy Ratings for Commercial, Industrial, and Residential Luminaires. It was updated to explicitly include LED (light-emitting diode) technology and is of particular interest to recessed luminaire manufacturers, fluorescent lamp manufacturers, and HID (high intensity discharge) manufacturers.

Legacy Electronics, a U.S. designer and manufacturer of high-density memory modules, circuit boards and solid-state drives (SSDs) has expanded their management team by selecting Mike Ridling to fill the new position director of business development. In addition, Legacy is broadening their portfolio of components and memory modules through a contract to be the authorized North American distributor of Zentel Electronics DRAM and LED products.

Inspired by “ao dai”, the traditional Vietnamese garment for women, the 65-storey mixed-use Lotte Center Hanoi is designed to celebrate the cultural heritage of Vietnam. Comprised of two towers connected by a series of sky garden atria, Lotte Center Hanoi consists of commercial offices, a shopping mall, an observatory deck, a 5-star hotel, and serviced apartments. 

Lextar, a large LED manufacturing company under the AUO group, has sold one of its factory in Hsinchu County, Taiwan for NT $361 million (US $11.82 million) to Twoway Communications.