Large-screen LCD backlight and general lighting stimulate accelerated growth

In 2015 and 2016, the solid-state lighting industry revenue has maintained a moderate single-digit growth rate, but in 2017 the industry is expected to promote the LED revenue growth rate to reach double digits.

iSuppli predicts that the overall LED market turnover in 2017 will grow by approximately 13.7%, and the compound annual growth rate for 2016-2012 will be approximately 14.6%, and it will reach 12.3 billion U.S. dollars by 2012. In 2015 and 2016, the global LED market turnover only increased by 2.1% and 8.7% respectively.

These numbers include all surface mount device (SMD) and through-hole package LED lights and alphanumeric display LEDs-including standard brightness, high brightness (HB) and ultra high brightness (UHB) LEDs.

A considerable part of the expected growth mentioned above will come from ultra-high brightness and high-brightness LEDs used in lighting applications. By 2012, ultra-high-brightness LEDs will account for about 31% of the total LED turnover, much higher than 4% in 2015.

The key driver of market growth

“In the new LED growth phase, the market continues to have strong demand for solid-state lighting for button backlights and mobile device displays. This is the main factor stimulating the growth of the LED market,” said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst of iSuppli. “Car interior lighting, as well as the backlighting of large-screen LCDs for TVs and laptops, these emerging markets will also promote the growth of the LED industry. In addition, the continuous development of solid-state lighting technology will also enable LEDs to find new applications in the decorative lighting and architectural lighting markets. The place of martial arts.”

LCD backlight is still the main LED application

Recently, small-screen LCD displays and mobile device button backlights are still the largest single application market for LEDs. In 2017, these applications will account for more than 25% of the overall LED market turnover.

LED targets larger LCD backlights

Starting in 2017, the backlight of larger LCDs such as notebooks and intuitive LCD TVs is becoming the next important application of LEDs.

The cost of LCD backlight module (BLU) is still much higher than that of traditional CCFL BLU, but the cost of the two is rapidly approaching. And LED BLU has performance advantages, such as higher contrast, faster turn-on time, wider color gamut, and the absence of mercury also helps it be adopted in LCDs.

Some LED suppliers, BLU manufacturers, LCD panel manufacturers and TV/display OEM manufacturers have now begun to use LEDs as the backlight of large-screen LCDs. Large-screen LCDs using LED BLU have also begun commercial shipments.

LED: The future of general lighting

The development of high-flux LEDs with a luminous efficiency of more than 100 lumens/watt and the emergence of innovative designs have enabled LEDs to work with alternating current without the need for inverters, thus pushing LEDs closer to the mainstream general lighting market.

LEDs have been used in a variety of indoor and outdoor decorative lighting applications, and are beginning to focus on niche general lighting applications such as flashlights, garden lights, and street lights. These uses are opening up markets for LED lighting in the field of home and corporate lighting.

In addition, the world has stepped up legislation to prohibit the use of incandescent lamps and encourage the use of energy-saving light sources. In the near future, compact fluorescent tubes (CFL) will benefit from legislative actions that ban the use of incandescent lamps.

But in the longer term, the advantages of solid-state lighting will overwhelm the cost difference between LEDs and CFLs. And as LED performance continues to improve, the cost difference will be further reduced.

iSuppli predicts that in 2020 LED bulbs will begin to be used in general lighting for residential and corporate lighting.