Backend demand for display peripheral ICs, such as T-Con and TDDI chips, has been robust, and major OSATs such as ASE Technology and Greatek Electronics are busy processing such chips for large-size display applications, according to industry sources.

T-Con chips are now mainly applied to large-size TV, PC and notebook segments, with ASE and Greatek both maintaining full wire-bonding capacity to serve vendors of T-Con chips and other peripheral DDI, TDDI and power management ICs, now all in strong demand, the sources said.

Major Taiwan-based vendors of TV SoCs and DDI chips have even turned to ChipMOS Technologies and Chipbond for TV chip probing services, as it is increasingly difficult for their major backend partners to absorb all the probing orders due to tight capacity, the sources said.

ASE Technology has said wire bonding capacity supply will stay short of demand throughout 2021, while growth momentum for SiP process will also persist to the end of the year.

Powertech Technology CEO Boris Hsieh also noted that its affiliate, Greatek, will sustain full wire-bonding capacity for MCUs, PMICs, TDDIs and TV-related ICs till year-end at least.

Even mid-tier backend houses including Lingsen Precision Industries and Orient Semiconductor Electronics (OSE) have seen their wire-bonding capacity fall short of demand, thanks to persistently strong backend demand for processing peripheral chips for notebooks, PCs, tablets, TV and game consoles supporting stay-at-home activities amid the pandemic, the sources said.