Singapore not lagging behind in thriving smartphone market

Responding to earlier news about the dismal status of Singapore's electronics industry, Terence Gan of the Economic Development Board insisted that the country's efforts in addressing the high demand for smartphones and tablets are more than sufficient, a follow-up piece on Today reports.

Deputy Director Gan clarified that though Singapore does not assemble the mobile devices, many of the key components are manufactured locally. Gan cited AU Optronics-owned AFPD which produces displays for smartphones as well as Philips Lumileds and Sony, which have facilities in Singapore that manufacture camera flash and batteries, as key players.

Gan also pointed out that though Singapore's electronics industry is not heavily involved in the production of PC parts, its focus on manufacturing multiple components for the communications sector evens its market presence.

However, analyst reports released in the past few months paint an uncertain future for Singapore's electronics sector as the global economy remains unstable. Gan explains that though the industry is experiencing sustained downturn, long-term prospects are promising.

Specifically, the sector's shift from labour-intensive product assembly to knowledge-intensive manufacturing of electronic components with higher margins has created new opportunities even though it initially decreased export values.