There are many news items circulating about supply issues with the increasingly popular AMOLED displays. Snippets taken from a recent Digitimes article reports that research iSuppli suggests that the short supply of Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode displays is slowing the displays technology’s bid to challenge the dominance of the AMLCD technology (used in the iPhone) in the smartphone market.
Shipments of small-sized AMOLEDs used in cell phones and other applications are projected to reach 184.5 million units by 2014, up from 20.4 million units in 2009, for a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 55.1% during the period, according to a revised forecast from iSuppli. While such growth is impressive, the AMOLED shipments pale next to small-sized AMLCDs, which are forecasted to rise to 1.75 billion units by 2014 from 1.3 billion in 2009. (iSuppli defines small-sized displays as those having a diagonal dimension of 9-inches and smaller.)
AMOLEDs offer a number of advantages compared to AMLCDs. First, AMOLEDs use no backlights, so they offer potential power-savings benefits compared to AMLCDs-a particular advantage in battery-powered smartphones. Second, the elimination of backlights also makes AMOLEDs very thin relative to AMLCDs.
Questions have been raised over the reason behind poor supply if the AMOLED technology is so popular.
At present, Samsung Mobile Displays (SMD) and LG Displays represent the only sources for AMOLED panels. A few smaller manufacturers exist, but production levels are small. AMOLED is too a much newer technology than AMLCD.
To increase supply, Samsung is heavily investing in AMOLED and LG is not too far behind. Manufacturers are working hard to ensure displays are available in mass volume to ensure that smartphone supplies are not affected.
VIA: Digitimes
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