According to Omdia’, the demand for OLED displays in mobile PCs is expected to grow by 37% CAGR from 2023 to 2031. This rise mirrors the trend of many brands incorporating OLED panels into their premium notebooks and tablets.
The growth of OLED demand for mobile PCs experienced a slowdown in 2022 and 2023 due to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation. However, Omdia claims that with the emergence of AI-capable PCs and advancements in AI performance, mobile PC manufacturers are gearing up to introduce new products starting in 2024. This, couple with the discontinuation of Windows 10 support in the latter half of 2025, is anticipated to stimulate a recovery in mobile PC demand.
Apple has integrated OLED screens into its iPad Pro lineup for the first time and set an agenda for the tablet market. The projected annual sales volume of these iPad Pro models suggests that tablet OLED demand in 2024 could triple compared to the previous year. There is strong speculation that Apple will extend OLED adoption to its entire tablet lineup, including the iPad Air and iPad Mini. This is likely to influence competitors’ OLED adoption strategies, potentially driving tablet OLED demand to exceed 30 million units by 2029. Apple is also expected to incorporate OLED into its MacBook Pro models as early as 2026. This move could spark a significant surge in OLED demand within the notebook market, potentially reaching over 60 million units by 2031.
As OLED display demand continues to rise, major display panel manufacturers are strategically positioning themselves to capitalize on this trend. In 2023, both Samsung Display and BOE announced investments in the G8.6 OLED fab, with plans to order equipment and prepare for mass production. China’s Visionox is also preparing to invest in the same generation fab, with anticipated mass production dates set for 2026 or 2027, which will be crucial in meeting the growing demand for OLED displays in laptops.
