What They Say
In an information dense blog post, DSCC picked out some highlights from its most recent report on ‘Advanced Smartphones’. It highlights the trend to higher refresh rates, which have developed from 0-60% for five brands in early 2020 to 45% to 90%+ forecast for this quarter. Apple will join in with LTPO phones in the 12s Pro and Pro Max and that will boost the market. The feature adds to differentiation, but with only a limited cost up, so is popular with brands looking to sell more high end products to maximise revenues in a chip shortage.
Another big, and related, trend is the move to LTPO backplanes where revenue share is growing faster than volume.
The article has 27 bullet points of interesting data. But the highlights are:
- Smartphone panels will be up by 7% in 2021 almost recovering the 8% drop in 2020 and OLED continues to increase its share with 40% as its likely share in 2021
- Flexible OLED panels (not foldable devices) have really risen strongly, with volume of 119 million in Q4 alone (44% of 2020 sales). Smartphones using them accounted for 80% of AMOLED-based smartphone revenues at $104 billion in Q4 2020.
- Lower priced rigid OLEDs are expected to eat into the share of flexible OLEDs in Q2 to exceed flexible share on a unit basis.
- Apple was top dog for revenue share in Q4 at 52.6%, but 41% in units, ahead of Samsung
- Samsung remains top supplier of OLEDs for smartphones still with 74% unit and revenue share in AMOLED smartphone panels in Q4’20, running at full capacity
- LGD overtook BOE for the #2 position in AMOLED smartphone panels in Q4’20 on strong iPhone 12 growth. It is expected to maintain a 10% share in Q1’21 as the iPhone 12 gains share as its strong performance continues
- The iPhone 12 launch boosted 5G penetration in AMOLED smartphones which surged in Q4’20 to 69% on a unit basis and 82% on a revenue basis
- $501-$700 was the leading price band in Q4’20 while $251-$500 will lead in Q1’21 and Q2’21.
What We Think
If you’ve attended one of Ross’s talks you’ll know his skill at delivering lots and lots of information at high bandwidth. This blog post reminded me of that and would repay serious attention and careful reading if you are in the smartphone market. (BR)
