Latest Trends In Displays & Projects Space
Rajeev is a seasoned industry professional with over three decades of experience in the consumer electronics space. He has been associated with BenQ for over 14 years now, prior to which he has had successful with companies such as Motorola India, Samsung India Electronics, CANON India, and Philips Electronics India. In a recent conversation with Siliconindia, Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ shared his insights on various aspects pertaining to the current display technology landscape. Below are a few key extracts from the exclusive interview
Tell us about a few emerging trends in display and projection technologies in recent times.
With a sharp increase in demand for displays from the consumers, display technology today is one of the fastest evolving areas across the world. Majority of the buyers in this segment now are no longer first-time buyers, and have become very discerning about what they want to buy. As a result, manufacturers are investing a lot of resources to develop the necessary technology in order to successfully cater to this evolving demand from the customers. In terms of resolution, while most of the displays pre covid used to be full HD, today, we are seeing a heightened demand for 4K displays.
Additionally, we also anticipate seeing a shift soon from 4K towards 8K, wherein we are already seeing the launch of many devices into the market that support content creation in 8K resolution. As a result, displays too will soon catch-up to this in order to be compatible with 8K resolution. On the other hand, as the screen time is increasing with each passing day, people are prone to having eye problems now more than ever. Thus, consumers are increasingly opting for devices whose displays are equipped with effective eye care features such as Eye Safe 2.0, which is the latest and most advanced so far. In terms of connectivity too, displays are now moving towards HDMI 2.1 and USB Type-C for connectivity.
How are LCD monitor and projector manufacturers balancing between energy efficiency and performance of their products?
Firstly, reduction of using hazardous materials has been one of the prime focus for manufacturers lately, and the industry has even been successful to a great extent in this regard. Earlier, the major light source used in the project was UHP lamp, which comprised of many hazardous substances and consumed more power. However today, the industry is quickly moving towards LED and laser as the primary light source, as they consume less power and are very ecofriendly. We expect that there will be a 100 percent transition from UHP lamps to LED/laser based light sources in the next two years. This utilization of LED technology within the displays has contributed immensely towards making the displays more energy efficient than ever before.
Suggest a few ways in which display manufacturers can create a strong USP for themselves in the competitive market.
Both display and projector markets are evolving at a very fast pace in recent times. Today, most of the customers look for products that suit their niche, specific requirements and do not go with entry level, basic products. For instance, in the monitors segment, the fastest selling and most in demand are the gaming monitors. Also, due to the severe rise in popularity of influencer marketing through social media, people are now investing heavily in post-production devices so that the content they have created can be provided in the best way possible to the audience.
Similarly, there are a wide range of monitors available in the market that are specifically for graphic designing, photography or similar other niche use cases. Additionally, for a market like India where there are millions of coders and programmers, there has not been a single monitor till date that is designed specifically for their requirements. By targeting such specific customer segments and strengthening their product portfolio through latest features & functionalities, companies can create a unique differentiation for themselves in the industry and successfully stay ahead of the curve.
Briefly explain the importance of manufacturers enabling easy integration of AI and IoT with display monitors and projectors.
Due to rapid technological advancements, projectors are becoming increasingly smart in recent times, wherein they come with an in-built android system. This has enabled users to have direct access Google Play Store, where they can download any app of their choice and use it as a standalone device. Unlike a few years back where the projectors had to connected to other devices, today’s projectors can be solely be connected to the internet and view all the content the user wants.
Additionally, smart projectors are also gaining widespread prominence lately, where these devices do not require a screen and can project the content on any kind of surface. Furthermore, leveraging AI, projector can sense the type of surface the image is being projected on, identify obstacles if any, and automatically shift the image to an area where users can see the complete picture.
Tell us about a few emerging trends in display and projection technologies in recent times.
With a sharp increase in demand for displays from the consumers, display technology today is one of the fastest evolving areas across the world. Majority of the buyers in this segment now are no longer first-time buyers, and have become very discerning about what they want to buy. As a result, manufacturers are investing a lot of resources to develop the necessary technology in order to successfully cater to this evolving demand from the customers. In terms of resolution, while most of the displays pre covid used to be full HD, today, we are seeing a heightened demand for 4K displays.
Additionally, we also anticipate seeing a shift soon from 4K towards 8K, wherein we are already seeing the launch of many devices into the market that support content creation in 8K resolution. As a result, displays too will soon catch-up to this in order to be compatible with 8K resolution. On the other hand, as the screen time is increasing with each passing day, people are prone to having eye problems now more than ever. Thus, consumers are increasingly opting for devices whose displays are equipped with effective eye care features such as Eye Safe 2.0, which is the latest and most advanced so far. In terms of connectivity too, displays are now moving towards HDMI 2.1 and USB Type-C for connectivity.
How are LCD monitor and projector manufacturers balancing between energy efficiency and performance of their products?
Firstly, reduction of using hazardous materials has been one of the prime focus for manufacturers lately, and the industry has even been successful to a great extent in this regard. Earlier, the major light source used in the project was UHP lamp, which comprised of many hazardous substances and consumed more power. However today, the industry is quickly moving towards LED and laser as the primary light source, as they consume less power and are very ecofriendly. We expect that there will be a 100 percent transition from UHP lamps to LED/laser based light sources in the next two years. This utilization of LED technology within the displays has contributed immensely towards making the displays more energy efficient than ever before.
Suggest a few ways in which display manufacturers can create a strong USP for themselves in the competitive market.
Both display and projector markets are evolving at a very fast pace in recent times. Today, most of the customers look for products that suit their niche, specific requirements and do not go with entry level, basic products. For instance, in the monitors segment, the fastest selling and most in demand are the gaming monitors. Also, due to the severe rise in popularity of influencer marketing through social media, people are now investing heavily in post-production devices so that the content they have created can be provided in the best way possible to the audience.
Similarly, there are a wide range of monitors available in the market that are specifically for graphic designing, photography or similar other niche use cases. Additionally, for a market like India where there are millions of coders and programmers, there has not been a single monitor till date that is designed specifically for their requirements. By targeting such specific customer segments and strengthening their product portfolio through latest features & functionalities, companies can create a unique differentiation for themselves in the industry and successfully stay ahead of the curve.
Briefly explain the importance of manufacturers enabling easy integration of AI and IoT with display monitors and projectors.
Due to rapid technological advancements, projectors are becoming increasingly smart in recent times, wherein they come with an in-built android system. This has enabled users to have direct access Google Play Store, where they can download any app of their choice and use it as a standalone device. Unlike a few years back where the projectors had to connected to other devices, today’s projectors can be solely be connected to the internet and view all the content the user wants.
Additionally, smart projectors are also gaining widespread prominence lately, where these devices do not require a screen and can project the content on any kind of surface. Furthermore, leveraging AI, projector can sense the type of surface the image is being projected on, identify obstacles if any, and automatically shift the image to an area where users can see the complete picture.
