Himax Ships Its First 8K TV Driver ICs, Concedes 8K to Hold ‘Small Share’ in Displays
Himax has started shipping its first "8K TV-related" driver ICs to one of its “industry-leading panel customers,” and expects a “few more” customers and orders during the second half “when more TV brands are scheduled to launch new 8K TV…
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models,” said CEO Jordan Wu on a Q1 earnings call Thursday. “8K TVs are still expected to hold a small share in the TV market because 8K content and transmission technology have not yet matured." 8K TV nevertheless is a "strategic area for Himax” for its future growth potential, he said. Higher materials costs of the driver ICs Himax supplies to large-screen TV panel makers will contribute to a 3 percent decline in Q2 gross margin from Q1, said Wu. Costs are rising from an “industry-wide materials shortage,” and panel-maker customers “are going through a difficult period” of increasing oversupply and “lackluster demand right now,” said Wu. “We thought it was prudent not to pass on the rising materials cost to our customers during this quarter as we used to for the consideration of long-term relationships.” Though the large-screen display market “is still clouded with concerns of oversupply and waning demand, our current forecast for the second half is showing signs of revenue rebound,” he said.