Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

AUSTIN – After hitting bottom in the first quarter, second-quarter mobile display shipments reached 360 million, up 30% sequentially and 3% year-over-year, says DisplaySearch.

Revenues were up 29% sequentially to $2.93 billion, but down 5% compared to the same period in 2008.

Double-digit growth is anticipated for 2010, the research firm said.

The saturated Western European and North American markets are expected to see subscriber growth of less than 10% year-over-year in 2009, while emerging markets like India and China are driving growth.

China remains a critical region for both handset manufacturing and demand. Local panel manufacturers have successfully maintained market share, accounting for 20% of the overall demand in 2009, says the research firm.

“The global economy is slowly recovering, fueling growth in mobile phone shipments in the second quarter,” noted Calvin Hsieh, DisplaySearch research director. “Despite this, mobile phone demand in North America and Western Europe is still less than 2008, an impact of the recession. We expect a better year in 2010, with worldwide mobile phone growth of 15% and emerging markets playing an increasingly vital role in shipments.”

WASHINGTON -- A US Department of Commerce committee will meet in two weeks to discuss emerging technology and research activities, including those related to deemed exports.

TAIPEI – Advanced Semiconductor Engineering agreed to purchase Universal Scientific Industrial Co. in a deal valued at more than $571 million.

STRATHAM, NH – Vitronics Soltec field service engineer Harvey Simonds died Nov. 7. A nine-year veteran of Vitronics Soltec, he was a respected and admired colleague known for his drive to make sure the customer was always satisfied.

Simonds was an Air Force veteran, and also spent 13 years as a service technician at Xerox, and was a captain in the volunteer fire department in Acton, Maine.

"He was always someone you could turn to no matter what the situation was," Vitronics customer service manager Bruce Quigley wrote. "He will be missed terribly as a member of the Vitronics field service team, colleague, and mostly, a friend."

ARLINGTON, VA – The Electronic Components Association today revised its October components orders upward, saying new data show a continued climb in both the monthly and 12-month averages.

SAN JOSE – North American semiconductor equipment manufacturers posted $756.2 million in orders in October and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.10, says SEMI.