AMOLED Display Revenue to Surge 169% Y/Y in 2011 from Smart Phone Adoption

Samsung Mobile Display Dominates Production, Others Planning to Ramp Production in 2012

Santa Clara, Calif., January 5, 2012—The year 2011 was pivotal for OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays, particularly AMOLED (active matrix OLED) displays. With strong growth in smart phones, AMOLED shipments are estimated to have reached 90 million units in 2011, up 97% Y/Y, while revenue is expected to grow to $3.36 billion, up 169% Y/Y, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report.

As it competes with TFT LCDs, AMOLED penetration into the small/medium (9”and smaller) display market has been increasing. In 2010, AMOLEDs had a6% shareof small/medium active matrix flat panel displays (TFT LCD and AMOLED), and is expected to double its share to 12% in 2011.

The growth of AMOLED in the small/medium segment is dominated by smart phones. Revenues for the smart phone segment more than doubled in 2011, with increasing shipments and higher ASPs due to larger screen sizes and increased display performance.

Figure 1: Annual Small/Medium AMOLED Revenue by Application

Source: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report

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 Displays has been a key driver of the growth of AMOLEDs, with the company accounting for 97.5% of all AMOLED shipments,” notes Hiroshi Hayase, NPD DisplaySearch’s Vice President of Small/Medium Display Research. “Looking to capitalize on the growing market demand, LG Display, AUO, and CMI also are planning to ship AMOLEDs for smart phones in 2012.”

Samsung’s Galaxy line of smart phones has been the leading adopter of AMOLED displays with high contrast and motion picture response time, while Apple’s iPhone uses a high resolution TFT LCD with IPS technology. The competition between the iPhone and Galaxy has brought increased attention to the AMOLED displays, currently produced only by Samsung Mobile Display.

The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report includes many other key findings:

With the successful mass-production of AMOLEDs and a new Gen 5.5 fab running, Samsung Mobile Display is producing larger AMOLED displays for applications such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Tab tablet PCs, as well as supplying outside customers.
AMOLEDs are also penetrating new market segments such as Sony’s PS-Vita portable game, which features a 5” AMOLED; LG Display is shipping AMOLEDs to LG Electronics for external mobile phone displays.
In addition, LG Electronics announced plans to produce a 55” AMOLED TV in 2012.

The NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report covers the entire range of small/medium displays shipped worldwide and regionally. Backed by over 40 suppliers of data and our own team of industry analysts, this report analyzes historical shipments and projects forecasts that provide decision makers with the insights they need to support procurement and product plans.

New Advanced Features: The Quarterly Small/Medium Shipment and Forecast Report now offers advanced features that allow users to track data by viewing angle and 3D capabilities.

For more information on this report, please contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, or contact@displaysearch.com or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.

About NPD DisplaySearch
Since 1996, NPD DisplaySearch has been recognized as a leading global market research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain, as well as the emerging photovoltaic/solar cell industries. NPD DisplaySearch provides trend information, forecasts and analyses developed by a global team of experienced analysts with extensive industry knowledge and resources. In collaboration with The NPD Group, its parent company, NPD DisplaySearch uniquely offers a true end-to-end view of the display supply chain from materials and components to shipments of electronic devices with displays to sales of major consumer and commercial channels. For more information on NPD DisplaySearch analysts, reports and industry events, visit us at http://www.displaysearch.com/. Read our blog at http://www.displaysearchblog.com/ and follow us on Twitter at @DisplaySearch.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com/ and http://www.npdgroupblog.com/. Follow us on Twitter at @npdtech and @npdgroup.