The 3Cs—communications, computers and consumer electronics—have long served as the bedrock of the electronics design landscape in Asia. Consequently, they have emerged as the core of editorial coverage in this publication. The fourth C for cars arrived later with just as much vigor in the key Asian markets of mainland China, Korea and Taiwan.

The latest IC Design Survey conducted by our sister publication EE Times-China presents two new stars: industrial control and security. And within auto electronics, security features, along with a new breed of infotainment devices, are hogging the spotlight. In-car electronics will sustain its growth momentum in 2007 by steadily replacing mechanical content.

The survey also reveals a strong desire for innovation among China's design engineers. The lack of design innovation in mainland China does not necessarily equate to a lack of commitment to improve designs. Probable factors that hinder design innovation include the lack of funding and independence for design projects, and the risk-averse mentality of senior management.

Another noteworthy observation is the lack of design expertise in analog circuitry. Richard Beyer, Intersil Corp. CEO, offers a word of advice. At a recent meeting of the India Semiconductor Association, he told his audience that the future of analog and mixed-signal design lies in a judicious mix of geographical diversification and product family development. This means a shift away from the command-and-control management style that is widely accepted in Western silicon firms.

In mainland China, system makers are exploring the potential of ultrawideband (UWB) technology—dubbed "the king of personal area networks." With mainland China being the hotbed of consumer and mobile-device manufacturing, industry experts see UWB modules enabling video sharing among cellphones, TVs, DVDs and other consumer products.

However, despite the touted benefits of UWB—which includes low power consumption and high speed—the road to commercialization remains out of sight.

There are clear signs, however, that OLEDs are finally entering the commercialization field this year. Late last year, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd launched the world's first 4.3-inch OLED display device for DMB terminals and portable media players. The Korean CE giant also showcased a 2.2-inch autostereoscopic 3D display and a 17-inch OLED for TV.

And the IC arm of Samsung continues to push the envelope for flash devices, which should grow to a $50 billion business by 2013 as per industry forecasts. Despite the few adjustments anticipated here and there, there seems to be no stopping the flash memory market.

The picture for its nemesis, DRAM chips, doesn't look bad either. Sensing new opportunities, Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the other major memory player in South Korea, has developed a 512Mbit mobile DRAM that it says operates at 200MHz speed and works with NAND flash memory in multichip packages to enable slimmer mobile phones.

A good year for DRAM and flash means a good year for memory chipmakers in Korea and Taiwan, and for the memory industry at large. That would be a welcome respite for an industry that has suffered cyclical ordeals for quite some time.

As for Taiwan, the island has adopted a new business strategy that is in some ways reminiscent of the approach taken by the neighboring markets of South Korea and Japan. The "WiMAX Acceleration Plan" lays the foundation for establishing the technology locally through the key steps of chip development, systems integration and network design, and for charting a straight path to markets worldwide.

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