According to DisplaySearch 2011 will be considered as a turning point for the AMOLED industry. Driven primarily by the growth in smart phones AMOLED shipments are estimated to have reached 90 million units in 2011, up 97% year-on-year, while total industry revenue is expected to have grown to $3.36 billion, up 169% year-on-year.
The success of AMOLED can particularly be seen in larger smart phone displays. In the first three quarters of 2011, shipments of AMOLED displays 3.5” and larger for smart phones reached 59.7 million units, up three-fold from the same period in 2010.
Samsung Mobile Display currently accounts for 97.5% of all AMOLED shipments, but market share may become smaller as LG Display, AUO, and CMI all plan to ship AMOLED display for smart phones during 2012.”
In 2010 AM-OLED displays had a 6% share of all small/medium active matrix flat panel displays and this is expected to increase to at least 12% in 2011.
OLED display revenues are estimated to exceed $4 billion in 2011 (approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues), and are forecast to reach more than $20 billion (approximately 16% of the total display industry) by 2018. DisplaySearch also stated that OLED lighting continues to gather momentum, and is forecast to reach revenues of approximately $6 billion by 2018.
OLED technology is now considered to be mature enough to be a mass-market technology suitable for small/medium displays, and gaining wide adoption in smart phone applications. Recent investments in Gen 8 (2200 × 2500 mm) production facilities indicates that AM-OLED will eventually become competitive in TV and mobile PCs, within the next few. This is supported by the release by Samsung of a 7.7” AM-OLED tablet PC in December 2011, and more tablet and other mobile PCs are expected in 2012. As the technology matures further AM-OLED then begin to find adoption in other applications as well.
