Asia Express - Mobile Communications
Japan's Suppliers Expand Production on Surging Chinese Smartphone Market
December 27, 2013

Japan's suppliers, including Japan Display, Renesas SP Drivers, and Sony, are expanding component production to meet the rapid market growth in mid-range and value-line smartphones in China, reported Nikkei Inc. on December 25. Japan Display will sell relatively low-cost panels to Chinese smartphone manufacturers, pricing 10% to 20% lower than its latest products. The company expects shipment volume share to China to increase from 15% this fiscal year (to end in March 2014) to over 20% in fiscal 2014. Renesas SP Drivers will provide more value-line LCD driver ICs to Chinese phone makers, projecting to have over 10% of its annual revenue coming from China in 2014. Sony, which primarily focuses on CMOS sensors for high-end smartphones, is also expanding its product lineup of mid-tier and entry-level sensors.