IHS Markit: OLED is expected to take the lead in smartphone display technology in 2020

According to the latest research from IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO ), the world's leading provider of critical information, analysis and solutions, while liquid crystal displays ( LCD ) have dominated the mobile phone display market for more than 15 years, organic light-emitting diode ( OLED ) display technology is set to take the lead in smartphone display technology by 2020. AMOLED displays, which use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon ( LTPS ) backplanes, will account for more than one-third ( 36% ) of all smartphone display shipments by 2020 , becoming the most commonly used display technology in smartphone displays, surpassing amorphous silicon thin-film transistor liquid crystal (a-Si) displays and low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays.

“ Although OLED is currently more difficult to manufacture, using more complex materials and chemical processes, and requiring more attention to yield management, the technology is becoming increasingly attractive to smartphone brands,” said Hsieh Chin-yi, senior director at IHS Markit . “ OLED displays are not only thinner and lighter than LCD displays, but also have better color expression and are more flexible , even bendable and curvy , enabling more innovative smartphone designs. ”

Samsung Electronics has adopted OLED displays in its smartphone models , and the demand for OLED is increasing from Chinese smartphone brands such as Huawei, OPPO , Vivo , and Meizu. Currently, Apple is also expected to use OLED displays in its new iPhone models to be launched next year .

In the past, OLED displays were made entirely of glass and had little difference in performance from LCD displays. Now, because OLED displays are made of thinner, lighter plastic and more flexible, this feature has attracted the attention of Apple. Xie Qinyi said : " Apple will use OLED displays in its upcoming models , which will be a milestone for OLED in the display industry. "

Samsung Display , LG Display , Sharp, JDI , BOE, Tianma , Guoxian , Truly and Huaxing have also begun to increase their AMOLED production capacity and invest more resources in technology development. For example, Samsung Display's sixth-generation A3 AMOLED manufacturing plant will enable more AMOLED displays to enter the market. Global AMOLED production capacity will increase from 5 million square meters in 2014 to 30 million square meters in 2020 .

[ Smartphone display technology shipment market share ( % of shipments ) ]

Xie Qinyi said , " Originally, many Chinese display manufacturers invested in low-temperature polysilicon LCDs, thinking that it would surpass amorphous silicon technology. However, many factories under construction, especially in China, had to change their plans and add OLED evaporation and packaging equipment because the popularity of OLEDs is much faster than previously expected. "