Global OLED revenues to reach $5.5B by 2015 on strong AMOLED growth

AUSTIN, USA: In the Q1’09 Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report, DisplaySearch forecasts the total OLED display market will grow to $5.5 billion by 2015, from $0.6 billion in 2008, with a CAGR of 37 percent. Currently, this growth is being driven by the adoption of active matrix OLED (AMOLED) displays for the primary display in mobile phones and portable media players.

Expansion of AMOLED manufacturing capacity will enable production of larger displays for mini-notebook and notebook PCs, desktop monitors and larger TVs. DisplaySearch forecasts that in 2015, TV will pass mobile phone main display to become the highest-revenue application at $1.92 billion.

“AMOLED displays have become an important differentiating factor for high-end electronic products,” noted Jennifer Colegrove, Director of Display Technologies at DisplaySearch. “AMOLED revenues will exceed those from passive matrix OLEDs (PMOLEDs) in 2009, and AMOLED is likely to pass PMOLEDs in terms of unit shipments in 2010, driven by mobile phone main display applications.”

Fig. 1: OLED Display Revenue ForecastSource: DisplaySearch Q1’09 Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report

DisplaySearch also reported that worldwide OLED display revenue in Q4’08 was $156 million, an increase of 17 percent Q/Q. OLED revenues for FY2008 reached $615 million, a 24 percent increase Y/Y.

PMOLED had a weak Q4’08, caused by slowing shipments of monochrome and area color OLED. AMOLED experienced a strong quarter, driven by demand for mobile phone main displays, as Nokia, Samsung Electronics and Sony Ericsson heavily promoted AMOLED mobile phones in early 2009.

“The OLED display industry is at a crossover point, as AMOLED passes PMOLED on a revenue basis. PMOLED makers need to investigate new market and product opportunities such as OLED lighting,” Dr. Colegrove said.

Samsung SDI, whose OLED group merged with Samsung Electronics’ mobile display business to form Samsung Mobile Display (SMD) in January 2009, had a strong Q4’08. As a result, Samsung SDI (now SMD) took the #1 position in shipments with a 31 percent share, passing RiTdisplay. Samsung SDI (now SMD) has been the leader in total OLED revenues for several quarters thanks to its AMOLED shipments
.
The DisplaySearch Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report includes shipments by supplier; by AMOLED vs. PMOLED; by small molecule vs. polymer; by monochrome vs. area color vs. full color; and by application, such as mobile phone main display, sub-display, mini-note, notebook PC, TV, MP3, auto console, car audio, digital still camera, near-eye and others. It also shows capacity plans by supplier and has a comprehensive supply/demand forecast.

Source: DisplaySearch