High-brightness LED market reaches $1.8 billion
Other key markets include signs, which range from single-color moving message panels to full-color video screens in sports stadiums, and both interior and exterior lighting in automotive applications. These markets had a share of 23% and 18%, respectively, while illumination accounted for 5% of the total market in 2002.
The mobile appliance market, which includes mobile phone screen and keypad backlights, PDAs and digital cameras, grew by a massive 114% compared to 2001, despite very little growth in handset shipments. More HB-LEDs were used in handsets due to a proliferation of full-color screens, larger screens, secondary screens and backlighting for keypads.
In terms of materials, the market was dominated by InGaN-based devices, which accounted for 68% of total HB-LED sales. Again, this reflects the use of blue, green and white LEDs in handsets. Steele estimated that around 3.5 billion InGaN-based LEDs were shipped in 2002, although this does not include low quality "off-spec" chips.
Looking ahead, Steele predicted steady growth in the HB-LED market of around 20% per year for the next five years, assuming that normal growth takes place in the general economy.
