Demand for ‘innovative’ flexible displays will rise along with the popularity and penetration of wearable and mobile devices. IHS predicts that flexible display revenue will climb more than 300% between 2016 ($3.7 billion) and 2022 ($15.5 billion). By 2020, flexible displays will represent 13% of total display market revenue.
Samsung and LG launched the first flexible smartphones, in the Galaxy Edge and G Flex, in 2013. Since then both have continued to work with AMOLED technology for mobile devices. Other companies are now following their success and moving into the market.
Currently, ‘flexible’ displays are limited to bendable, curved and edge-curved types. However, fully flexible units are expected to be launched within the next two years.
“Only a few suppliers – including Samsung Display, LG Display, E-ink and Futaba – are now regularly supplying flexible displays to the market,” said Jerry Kang of IHS. “However, many more panel makers are now attempting to build flexible display capacity, leveraging the latest AMOLED display technology.”
Flexible displays will be primarily used in smartphones and smartwatches this year, IHS believes. However, uses in applications such as tablets, near-eye displays, automotive monitors, VR devices and OLED TVs is expected by 2022.
