Windows 8触屏控制器芯片价格2014年继续下跌

控制器芯片价格2014年继续下跌0' title='Windows 8触屏控制器芯片价格2014年继续下跌0' />

元器件交易网讯 11月19日消息，据业内人士透露，具有Windows 8功能触屏控制器IC的价格预计在2014年将继续下跌，即使该设备的价格自2013年以来已下降了50％。

消息人士指出，目前Windows 8触摸屏控制器芯片的价格为2-3美元/片，而2013年上半年的报价为5美元，芯片需求受到Windows 8笔记本电脑销售疲软的影响。

此前，大多数台湾IC设计公司由于担忧Windows笔记本电脑的前景，以及微软对高品质和验证的要求，决定避免Windows 8触屏控制器芯片的生产。IC厂商随后纷纷进军智能手机和平板电脑芯片市场。

台湾两大IC厂商义隆电子（Elan）和禾瑞亚科技（EETI）已与台笔记本ODM厂商较早地进入了Windows 8功能触屏控制器市场，因此获得了较高的毛利率和盈利。

不过，由于智能手机和平板电脑的芯片销售放缓，Windows 8触屏控制器芯片的价格在2013年第三季度就开始下滑，越来越多的芯片制造商，包括新思科技（Synaptics）、奕力科技（Ilitek）、联咏微电子（Novatek）与FacolTech System都遭遇下滑。

随着一些厂商已经开始推出0.18nm制程芯片，2014年Windows 8控制器芯片领域的竞争将更加激烈，可能会使相关芯片的单位成本价降至1美元。（元器件交易网郭路平 译）

外文：

Prices of Windows 8 touchscreen controller chips to continue to fall in 2014

Prices of Windows 8-enabled touchscreen controller ICs are expected to continue to fall in 2014 even though prices of these devices have declined 50% since 2013, according to industry sources.

The Windows 8 touch controller chips are currently available for US$2-3 per unit compared to US$5 quoted in the first half of 2013 as demand for the chips has been affected by slower-than-expected sales of Windows 8-based notebooks, said the sources noted.

Previously, most Taiwan-based IC design houses decided to shun the production of Windows 8 touchscreen controller chips due to concerns of prospects of Windows-based notebooks, as well as high quality and verification requirements from Microsoft. Instead, these IC vendors have forayed into the smartphone and tablet chipset market.

Elan Microelectronics and Egalax-empia Technology (EETI) were the two major IC vendors that have entered the Windows 8 touch controller market in line with Taiwan-based notebook ODMs earlier and thus enjoyed higher gross margins and earnings in 2013.

However, prices of Windows 8 touch controller chips have begun to slide in the third quarter of 2013 as more chipmakers including Synaptics, ILI Technology (Ilitek), Novatek Microelectronics and FacolTech Systems have also stepped into the sector due to a slowdown in sales of chips for smartphones and tablets, the sources revealed.

Competition in the Windows 8 controller chip sector is also expected to become keener in 2014 as some vendors have begun rolling out chips using a 0.18nm process, which could lower down the unit cost of related chips to US$1, commented the sources.