The market has settled into a period of relative stability with super narrow bezel (SNB) display now a firmly established technology and rear projection cubes (RPC) largely retrenching into specialist, high end applications. However, this paradigm is set to be challenged with the introduction of narrow pixel pitch (NPP) LED which Futuresource expects to be a significant disruptive technology in the coming years.
Whilst the Futuresource report paid particular attention to the interplay between adoption of different technologies, each product category has a unique set of features which tends to dictate the end usage model and vertical environment.
After the explosive growth witnessed between 2009 and 2012 — well in excess of 100 percent — the SNB market slowed in 2013 to less than 30 percent YoY growth, accounting for over 90 percent of sales. R&D dollars have been focused on the reduction of bezel/mullion widths rather than screen size ranging or higher resolutions. This has driven the introduction of ultra narrow bezel products with just 3.5mm bezel to bezel. This focus may alter in 2014 however as a host of 84-inch 4k panel solutions enter the market, with prices expected to tumble rapidly as panel providers seek to stimulate demand for 4k panel. In turn this is expected to pressurize 46-inch SNB solutions as end users may find the additional costs of installing and maintaining a 2×2 SNB solution unpalatable against an 84-inch 4k panel.
The SNB market has gradually evolved into three distinct tiers, ranging from mass volume players through to absolute specialist. It has been interesting to note traditional RPC vendors continuing to build SNB sales, trading on a long heritage in tiling display technology, whilst maintaining performance in the RPC category.
From a vertical perspective the battle between technologies is focused on the control room application which represented 19 percent share of the video wall market in 2013. Sub verticals drawing from video feeds, for example surveillance and traffic management, have seen relatively fast adoption of SNB products. However, verticals using industry control systems (ICS) have tended to continue using RPC.
Away from control rooms, public display and retail have been strong performers with over 40 percent and 15 percent share respectively in 2013. Digital signage has been a clear catalyst for this strength with large display opportunities attractive to network owners.
Geographically, emerging markets still offer excellent prospects across both product categories with China absolutely dominant. RPC demand in developed markets is soft and expected to decline moving forward. The trend toward ‘everything smart’ may have a positive impact but unlikely to impact RPC growth significantly. The picture for SNB is very different with developed markets performing equally as well, often due to more developed digital signage sectors.
Here is the entire report.
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