Total smartphone panel shipments rose 4% MoM in September, with particular growth noted in the high-end, says IHS. Shipments reached 160 million units and, while a-Si units continued to lead, LTPS TFT-LCD demand is growing. Shipments of LTPS smartphones displays rose 30% MoM to reach 51.6 million units – driven by strong demand from Apple and Chinese makers.
TFT-LCD on an a-Si substrate has long led the smartphone display market. It is easy to manufacture and production costs are lower than competitors. However, since Apple began to use LTPS for its iPhones, demand has been rising for this technology. Although cost is higher, LTPS panels have lower power consumption and higher resolution than a-Si units. Increasing demand for high-resolution displays, especially in China, has also increased adoption.
IHS reports that a-Si TFT-LCD market share, in smartphone displays, fell 10% MoM in September. However, the panel technology still accounted for almost 50% of all shipments: 79.6 million. AMOLED display shipments rose 7%, to 25 million units.
AMOLED-based LTPS displays have been used almost exclusively in Samsung smartphones since 2009. However, with the decline of the company’s smartphone shipments in 2014, Samsung Display has been aggressively promoting the technology to other customers – particularly in China. AMOLED panel shipments for Chinese brands have increased “remarkably” since September, said IHS’ senior analyst, Brian Huh.
