Active matrix organic light-emitting diode (Amoled) displays are rising fast, thanks to lowering costs, wider use in end-market consumer electronics devices and the ramp-up of new manufacturing capacities.
While liquid crystal display (LCD) technology is still the dominant technology in the display industry, Amoled display shipments will grow 40 percent, year-over-year, to reach 395 million units in 2016.
Amoled display revenue is expected to increase by 25 percent, to reach $15 billion in 2016, according to analyst firm IHS.
?Amoled is becoming the shiniest spot in the flat-panel display industry. Amoled has a simpler structure than LCD, as well as a thinner and lighter form factor, better color saturation, greater contrast ratio, faster response time and easier integration with touch functions,? said David Hsieh, senior director for displays at IHS Technology.
?In addition, Amoled is formed on a polymer base substrate, allowing it to be flexible, bendable and even foldable. The organic electro-luminescence materials can be formed using a soluble printing process, which means Amoled has the potential to be produced at a very low cost.?
Many of the obstacles to Amoled development, such as production inefficiencies, yield-rate management issues, higher investment costs and a short lifetime for light emitting materials, were also resolved in 2015, improving the production.
OLED has started to find its niche in many applications, especially in smartphones, smartwatches, automotive displays, home appliances, near-eye virtual reality (VR) devices and televisions. ?Improvements in production and lowering costs are attracting more device makers to install Amoled displays in their products,? Hsieh said.
For example, Samsung Electronics has been using Amoled as an important differentiator in its proprietary Galaxy smartphones. Since the second half of 2015, more smartphone brands — especially manufacturers in China — have installed Amoled displays in their devices, such as Google, Microsoft, Meizhu, Blackberry, Huawei, HTC, ZTE, Oppo and Coolpad.
The 5-inch high-definition (HD), 5.5-inch full high definition (FHD), 5.5-inch and 6-inch wide quad high definition (WQHD) will be the major Amoled smartphone display driving forces in 2016.
Amoled penetration in smartphone displays is expected to rise from 17 percent in 2015 to 21 percent this year. Apple is reported to be considering Amoled as a display source for its new iPhone in late 2017, replacing the current low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD display.
?If Apple actually starts using Amoled displays, the transition will be viewed as a milestone in flexible form factor development,? Hsieh said.
