Tag Archives: active pen 2016 report

Universal Stylus Initiative’s impact on active pen market

September 22, 2016

Today Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) just announced its breakthrough Specification 1.0.

Launched in 2015, Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) is an international not-for-profit technology trade association whose mission is to define industry-wide standards for interoperable communication between an active stylus and touch-enabled devices such as phones, tablets, and computing and entertainment platforms. Currently, it has 34 member companies.

The USI 1.0 Specification defines a standard signaling mechanism and communication protocol between a stylus and a touch-enabled device. Users will be able to use a single USI Stylus across all of their USI-enabled devices and any USI stylus shipped with devices will work with other USI-enabled devices, even those from different manufacturers. This is a breakthrough capability and industry-first enabled by the USI 1.0 Specification.

Touch Display Research had a chance to interview Mr. Pete Mueller, Chairman of USI and Principal Engineer/Senior Technologist at Intel, about the USI spec 1.0. We asked when we can expect to see the first commercially available active pen that is USI compatible. He replied that will be end of 2017 or early 2018, since the OEMs and silicon foundries need at least 1 year after seeing the specification to plan it into their roadmap.

In USI’s press release, it quoted Touch Display Research’s market forecast, “Touch Display Research predicts that active-stylus market revenue will double from nearly $3B in 2016 to almost $6B over the next four years.”

Figure: Active Pen Market forecast to 2021

Active pen market forecast 2016

Source: Active pen technologies, supply chain and market forecast 2016 report, 2nd edition, Touch Display Research Inc.

More analysis of the USI’s impact on the active pen industry, and over 100 active pen and passive pen companies’ profiles can be found in the “Active pen 2016 report”.

Thirteen types of active pen and eight types passive pen are analyzed in the report. The Active pen 2016 report includes a PowerPoint file of over 270 pages and an Excel database.

You can subscribe on our website: www.touchdisplayresearch.com in the Market Research Report page or contact us by email: jc@touchdisplayresearch.com

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Jennifer Colegrove and team

Myscript announced handwriting app Nebo

August 9, 2016

Today, MyScript, a pioneering market leader in accurate, high-performance handwriting recognition and digital ink management technology, announces the launch of Nebo, a brand new notetaking app that showcases the power of its leading-edge Interactive Ink technology.

Recently, I had a chance to interview my old industry friend, Mr. Gary Baum, VP of Marketing at MyScript. He introduced that the name of the app—Nebo—is the name of the god of writing in Babylonia.

Nebo enables tablet users with active pens to write and edit their handwritten notes in real-time. Now, users can write complex mathematical equations, draw diagrams, sketch pictures and instantly convert to digital form for sharing, searching and storage. All of Nebo’s real-time digitized content – text, diagrams and mathematical equations – is editable with the stylus alone, providing for ease-of-use and productivity gains previously not possible with digital handwriting.

Nebo works on many active pen devices, such as those from Microsoft, or Apple. In the recently published “Active Pen Technologies, Supply Chain and Market Forecast Report (Second Edition),” Touch Display Research Inc., an independent market research and consulting firm, analyzes more than twenty digital pen technologies, which include thirteen active pen technologies and eight passive pen technologies. Touch Display Research forecasts active pen writing module (includes pen sensor, pen and controller IC) revenue will reach $6.1 billion in 2021, from $2.9 billion in 2016.

Figure 1. Active pen module market forecast

Active pen market forecast 2016

Source: Touch Display Research, 2016

Touch Display Research defines active pen as a pen with an electronic circuit. Some active pens have an integrated battery in it, and others don’t. A passive pen has neither an electronic circuit nor a battery.

The “Active Pen Technologies and Market Forecast 2016 Report” is available immediately and includes a PowerPoint file of over 270 pages and an Excel database.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Jennifer Colegrove and team

Huawei Active Pen at CES 2016 and Active Pen Market

January 21, 2016

At CES 2016, Huawei booth showcased MediaPad M2 10 inch tablet PC with active pen. The display is 10.1 inch 1920×1080 pixel format. The active pen have 2048 pressure level sensitivity. The pen is branded as Huawei’s pen.

Figure 1. Huawei active pen at CES 2016

Huawei pen CES 2016

Photo by: Dr. Jennifer Colegrove, Jan 2016

The active pen industry landscape has changed dramatically in recent 2 years: The number of companies actively working on active pen technology has increased from 60 companies in 2014 to over 100 companies in 2016.

Touch Display Research defines active pen as a pen with an electronic circuit. Some active pens have an integrated battery in it, and others don’t. A passive pen has neither an electronic circuit nor a battery. In the recently published “Active Pen Technologies, Supply Chain and Market Forecast Report (Second Edition),” Touch Display Research Inc., analyzed more than twenty digital pen technologies, which include thirteen active pen technologies and eight passive pen technologies.

Figure 2: Active pen and passive pen summary and comparison (Full table is in the excel database)

active pen passive pen table

Source: Touch Display Research, Active pen technologies supply chain and market forecast 2016 report.

Digital pen input is very useful in education, certain language input, medical, finance, industry applications, and content creation. Active pen technology is superior to passive in terms of accuracy, pressure sensing, and input of fine line. We forecast that active pen usage will have rapid growth in the next several years.

More analysis of CES 2016 active pen exhibitions and active pen market forecast can be found in the “Active Pen Technologies, Supply Chain and Market Forecast 2016 Report”. You can subscribe on our website: www.touchdisplayresearch.com in the Market Research report page or by email: jc@touchdisplayresearch.com

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

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About Touch Display Research Inc.

Touch Display Research, Inc.(www.TouchDisplayResearch.com) is an independent technology market research and consulting firm specializing in touch screen and emerging display technologies such as OLED displays, OLED lighting, flexible displays, e-paper displays, ITO-replacement, Active pen, 3D displays, near-eye displays, pocket projectors, quantum dots, gesture controls, voice controls, and eye controls. Touch Display Research provides standard reports, consulting projects, and due diligence for touch suppliers, display manufacturers, consumer electronics ODMs/OEMs, material suppliers, investor companies, venture capitalists, and companies who are merging or acquiring companies in the touch screen, display, and materials industry. We are member of Flextech Alliance and SID.