Active matrix OLED displays capture highest revenue share for mobile phones

SANTA CLARA, CALIF., August 26, 2013—Increased demand for higher resolution, larger touch-enabled smartphones is leading to strong revenue growth in the mobile phone display market in 2013. According to the Quarterly Mobile Phone Display Shipment and Forecast Report by NPD DisplaySearch, overall mobile phone display revenues are expected to reach $33.3 billion by the end of this year, which is a 55% increase over 2012. This revenue growth is being driven by rising smartphone display average selling prices (ASPs). Shipments of mobile phone displays are expected to grow 15% in 2013, reaching 1.9 billion units.

“The top two brands leading growth in the global smartphone market—Samsung with its Galaxy S4 series and Apple with its iPhone 5 series—continue to increase production volume and market share,” said Hiroshi Hayase, Vice President of Small/Medium Displays at NPD DisplaySearch. “The growth in sales for these popular smartphone brands has led to increased requirements for high-end flat panel displays, including AMOLED used in the Galaxy S4 and LTPS TFT LCD used in the iPhone 5.”

The increase in OLED mobile phone display revenue can be primarily attributed to the growth in the size and resolution of AMOLED displays, as Samsung moves from Galaxy S3 models (4.8” 1280 × 720) to Galaxy S4 (5.0” 1920 × 1080, with on-cell touch). Similarly, LTPS TFT LCD revenue growth can be attributed to the shift from the iPhone 4S (3.5” 960 × 640) to the iPhone 5 (4.0” 1164 × 640, with in-cell touch). These changes have helped to increase the ASP of AMOLED mobile phone displays from $48.36 in 2012 to $49.37 in 2013. The ASP of LTPS TFT LCDs rose from $26.74 to $34.57 over the same period.

AMOLED is expected to take the lead in mobile phone display revenues in 2013, accounting for a 37% share, closely followed by LTPS TFT LCD with 36.1% and a-Si TFT LCD with 26.5%. NPD DisplaySearch forecasts that a-Si TFT LCDs used in mobile phones will continue to lose revenue share. However, Chinese manufacturers are purchasing greater volumes of lower priced open-cell a-Si TFT LCDs (displays without backlights or driver ICs) for low-end smartphones. “At this point, the mobile phone display market is split between high-end AMOLED and LTPS TFT LCDs smartphone models, and low-priced, high-volume a-Si TFT LCD smartphone models,” Hayase added.

For more information, visit www.npd.com.