Digitimes Research expects the slow season to have a bigger influence on the notebook market in the first quarter of 2022 than seasonal effects had in the first quarter of 2021. Overall notebook shipments are expected to slip 10% sequentially.

Taiwan's PC monitor shipments grew 4.6% sequentially but fell 6.5% on year to 23.18 million units in the third quarter of 2021, according to Digitimes Research. Shipments are forecast to increase about 5% sequentially in the fourth quarter, as chip and component shortages improve.

In the second edition of the US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD), the two sides announced their cooperation on the digital economy and 5G network security. It is hoped that the fourth edition of the US-Taiwan Digital Economy Forum (DEF) will be held under the EPPD in 2022 and deepen cooperation in areas such as 5G network security, open network architecture and the free flow of information. This pledge echoes the infrastructure bill recently passed under the Biden administration at the beginning of November.

TSMC, United Microelectronics (UMC) and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) are expected to see their combined revenues increase about 4% sequentially in the fourth quarter of 2021, with revenues for the whole year forecast to surge 25% on year, according to Digitimes Research.

As the market penetration rate of electric vehicles (EV) continues to get higher, there are growing concerns regarding more power shortages in the future. In order to avoid EVs becoming electricity-eating monsters, companies are also starting to focus on the development of bidirectional charging capabilities.

The global top-5 notebook brands (not including Apple) saw their combined shipments in October slip from a month ago because of weak demand from the education sector and a high comparison base in September, according to Digitimes Research's latest monthly figures from the Notebook Tracker service. Dell also saw its shipments in the month surpass HP and Lenovo.

Global server shipments are forecast to grow 4.5% on year to nearly 17 million units in 2021, according to Digitimes Research, which estimated previously a higher 5.1% increase.

Taiwan-based AU Optronics (AUO), Innolux and HannStar Display together shipped 73.755 million large-size (9-inch and above) TFT-LCD panels in third-quarter 2021, growing 2.54% sequentially, and are forecast to ship 71.843 million units in fourth-quarter 2021, slipping 2.59% sequentially, according to DIGITIMES Research.

Global server shipments only increased 8.5% sequentially in the third quarter of 2021, lower than the 13% forecast DIGITIMES Research made in July, due to IC and component shortages, according to the latest figures from DIGITIMES Research's Server Tracker services.

Global notebook shipments (not including detachable model) rose 3.1% sequentially in the third quarter of 2021, stronger than DIGITIMES Research's previous forecast, according to the latest figures from the Notebook Tracker services.

Global shipments of AR/VR head-mounted displays (HMDs) are expected to rise 27.8% year-on-year in 2021, driven by the stay-at-home economy, according to the latest figures from DIGITIMES Research of AR/VR applications.

Global smartphone shipments delivered by Chinese brands grew 9.8% sequentially, but slipped 7.8% on year to come to 175 million units in the third quarter of 2021, according to the latest figures from Digitimes Research's Smartphone Tracker.

Taiwan makers shipped 7.365 million TVs in third-quarter 2021, rising 2.9% sequentially, according to DIGITIMES Research figures. As seasonal demand pick up, Taiwan makers' TV shipments are expected to grow 9.5% sequentially in the fourth quarter.

Tablet brands will see a more stable market environment in 2022 with their shipments in the year to pick up moderately by 1.3% from 2021. Although tablet brands will start pushing into the creator market to seek more business opportunities, overall tablet shipments are still likely to shrink over the next five years until 2026, according to the figures from Digitimes Research's latest five-year (2022-2026) forecast report on the tablet industry.

Global notebook shipments are expected to experience minor declines in 2022 and 2023 as governments will start cutting their COVID-19 subsidies and stimulus checks with the easing of the pandemic, reducing overall demand for notebooks. However, the market is expected to see the next wave of shipment growth between 2024 and 2026 with upgrades to panels and hardware, according to the figures from Digitimes Research's latest five-year (2022-2026) forecast report on the notebook industry.