Tag Archives: curved display

Flexible, curved, bendable displays at turning point for fast growth

June 9, 2016

Flexible display is at the turning point for fast growth. We can see this trend at SID 2016 DisplayWeek.

Japan Display Inc. (JDI) showcased several curved AMOLED displays. Two of the curved AMOLED were in a glass box. Another curved AMOLED demo is integrated with a curved touch screen on it.

E Ink showed large size flexible active matrix electrophoretic display.

FlexEnable showcased flexible LCD for wrist wearable devices.

In the “Flexible, Curved, and Bendable Display Technologies and Market Forecast Report.” (Second Edition), Touch Display Research analyzed over 10 display technologies, over 14 applications of flexible displays, and shows how the flexible display market is accelerating. This report profiles over 270 companies working on flexible displays.

OLED is the most researched with 46 companies and research institutes working on it. Touch Display Research believes there are strong opportunities for flexible LCD as well since it could be lower cost than flexible AMOLED.

Touch Display Research forecasts that the flexible display market will reach $30 Billion by 2025.

Figure 1. Flexible, curved and bendable display market forecast to 2025

flexible 2016 forecast with TDR

Source: Touch Display Research, Flexible, Curved and Bendable Display Technologies and Market Forecast 2015 Report, second edition

Flexible display could be used in four types of form factors: bendable dynamic, foldable dynamic, fixed curved, flat with flexible substrate. Currently, flexible displays are already shipping in large volumes. We forecast that flexible, curved and bendable displays will have tremendous growth in the next several years.

Flexible, curved and bendable displays still face many challenges. Over 10 display technologies could be made into flexible curved bendable form factors. Challenges and opportunities are analyzed in the report.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Jennifer Colegrove and team

Curved 105-inch displays at CES are LCDs (not OLED)

March 31, 2014

In the weekend, I read a famous consumer electronic publisher’s article about the 105-inch curved display at CES; it indicated they are curved OLED screen:

Figure: Image of the publisher’s statement about 105-inch curved display

CEA wrong about 105 curved OLED deco

Source: a famous consumer electronic publisher

That statement is wrong. Both LG and Samsung showed several curved display at CES 2014, but the 105-inch curved displays are LCDs, not OLED.  The largest curved OLED demonstrated is 77-inch so far (not count the type that tile many OLED displays together). It’s a bit of heartbreak to see that this famous consumer electronic publisher spread the wrong information.

As I wrote in our mission: I’m concerned about these people and the people they advise. I feel as a Ph.D. and experienced technology analyst, I have the responsibility to provide to my clients correct knowledge, up-to-date information, forward-thinking analysis, and best business strategies.

Touch Display Research has published CES 2014 analysis report in January, it provided detail analysis of all the curved LCDs and curved AMOLED.  

LG’s G Watch and Google’s Moto360 watch with flat display in Q2 2014

March 19, 2014

Today both LG and Google announced their upcoming smart watch: LG’s is called G Watch with a rectangle flat display. Google’s is called Moto360 made by its Motorola Mobility division, (which will be acquired by Lenovo in the near future, but the acquirement is still not finalized yet.)

Figure: LG’s G watch and Google’s Moto360

LG G watchMoto360

Source: LG, Google

The Moto360 has a round flat display, which is unique. On the other side, LG’s G Watch has a common rectangle flat display. LG indicated they’ll announce the spec in a few months. As we covered before, LG has released G Flex mobile phone with a plastic curved AMOLED display in 2013. The fact that LG didn’t use a curved display on the watch is very strange, this indicated their curved AMOLED display capacity is still small, or yield is still low.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014, Samsung announced its newest wearable device: Gear Fit. It has a 1.84” super AMOLED display, with 432X128 pixel format. (Please note, some website said it is 1.4”, which is wrong).

Figure: Samsung Gear Fit with curved display

 gear fit

Source: Samsung, 2014

Samsung claims the Gear Fit is “the industry’s first curved, super AMOLED wearable device”. I think that is correct.

As Touch Display Research reported in our “Flexible and curved display technologies and market forecast” report, we believe flexible and curved displays are more ergonomic for the wrist, and larger-sized flexible displays could fit better and show more information. The Gear Fit is what a smart watch should look like.

Touch Display Research forecasts 30 million units flexible and curved displays will be shipped for smart watch application by 2023.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Samsung Gear Fit with curved displays at MWC 2014

February 25, 2014

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014, Samsung announced its newest wearable device: Gear Fit. It has a 1.84” super AMOLED display, with 432X128 pixel format. (Please note, some website said it is 1.4”, which is wrong).

Figure: Samsung Gear Fit with curved display

gear fit

Source: Samsung, 2014

Samsung claims the Gear Fit is “the industry’s first curved, super AMOLED wearable device”. I think that is correct. Although there are a dozen smart watches entered the market recently, but most of them are using flat, rigid display. As Touch Display Research reported 4 months ago, we believe flexible and curved displays are more ergonomic for the wrist, and larger-sized flexible displays could fit better and show more information. The Gear Fit is what a smart watch should look like. We forecast 2 inch or larger curved display will be adopted in smart watch as well.

In the “Flexible and curved display technologies and market forecast” report, Touch Display Research forecasts 30 million units flexible and curved displays will be shipped for smart watch application by 2023.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

YotaPhone with two displays at MWC 2014

February 24, 2014

Today at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014, YotaPhone and Cypress announced features on the 2nd generation YotaPhone: larger and better displays and both displays will have full touch screen.

Here is the spec comparison of the first and second generation YotaPhone:

Yota 1st and 2nd spec comp

Source: Yota Devices, compiled by Touch Display Research, Feb 2014

YotaPhone stands out from the crowd with its low power secondary display on the back, which is made by E Ink.

Touch Display Research believes flexible, thin, low power, good sunlight readability display will be suitable for secondary, cover display. For example, in a bright sunny day, when it’s hard to see the information on your mobile phone’s LCD or AMOLED display, you can use your secondary display to show the mobile phone information. In the “Flexible and Curved Display Technologies and Market Forecast” report, Touch Display Research forecast secondary display will have rapid growth from 2014.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Plastic Logic and Novaled OTFT backplane AMOLED

February 10, 2014

I just came back from the 2014 FLEX conference and the SID LA Symposium. There are many highlights in these 2 conferences. One of the exciting news is about the Organic TFT (OTFT) backplane AMOLED.

On Feb 6th, 2014, Plastic Logic’s director of research and partnerships, Mr. Mike Banach gave a presentation titled “A New Frontier for Flexible Displays”. At the same day, both Plastic Logic and Novaled announced their partnership and their demo of OTFT backplane AMOLED.

Their demo is a monochrome flexible AMOLED, targeting for wearable applications. Plastic Logic’s CEO, Indro Mukerjee, said, “2014 will be the year that wearable technology starts to go mainstream.”

Touch Display Research analyst agrees with that. Touch Display Research forecasts 30 million units flexible and curved displays will be shipped for smart watch application by 2023. Overall flexible and curved display market will reach $27 Billion by 2023.

Figure: Flexible and curved displays for smart watch application forecast to 2023

flexible curved smart watch

Source: Touch Display Research. “Flexible and Curved Display and Lighting Technologies and Market Forecast” report. September, 2013.

It is said Merck’s organic semiconductor material was used in the OTFT prototype.

As we covered in our “Flexible and Curved Display and Lighting Technologies and Market Forecast” report, Sony has demonstrated OTFT backplane AMOLED before.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Curved TVs flood the CES 2014

Jan 8, 2014

I’ve been at CES 2014 for 3 days by now. One big trend this year is: curved TV.

As we reported 2 days ago, Samsung showcased their curved TV and bendable TV at Monday’s press conference.

LG’s booth is also full of curved TVs. The most attractive one is the 77” 4K flexible OLED TV, which they claim is the world’s first 77” flexible 4K OLED TV. I think that is true.

Many other TV suppliers also showcased curved TV at this CES, such as Hisense, Haier, Konka, Panasonic.

Curved TVs provide a unique form factor and cinema-like immersive view. We believe the ecosystem of flexible and curved displays is maturing. Good progress has been made in many areas. TFT on plastic substrate is already commercialized; ultra-thin glass is commercially available; ITO-replacement material is in mass production; bond de-bond and roll-to-roll manufacturing processes and equipment used for flexible displays are more precise.

In our recently published Flexible and curved display and lighting report, Touch Display Research forecasts that the flexible and curved display market will reach $27 Billion by 2023.

More analysis can be found in our Touch and Emerging Display monthly report.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

CES 2014 What to Expect

December 20, 2013

I’ll travel to International CES 2014 in Las Vegas in early January. CES is one of the most crowded consumer electronic shows in the world with over 150,000 attendees.

Here are what to expect:

  1. OLED display. We expect Samsung and LG will demo large size AMOLED TV at CES 2014, just as they did in last year. But this time it’ll be one level higher: we expect to see 4K and larger size. Other companies, such as Sony, AUO, Panasonic will also demo 4K OLED TV.

Touch Display Research forecasts that by 2020 the OLED TV market will reach $15.5 billion. 2016 will be the takeoff year for OLED TVs with billions of dollars of revenue each year after that.

2. 8K display. We expect to see 8K display at CES 2014. More analysis can be found in our “Touch and Emerging Display report” December 2013 report.

3. Quantum dot is adopted in LCD to improve color gamut and reduce power consumption.  At CES 2014, we’ll see Sony’s Triluminos TV with quantum dot from QD Vision.  We might also see Hisense demo quantum dot TV as well.

Quantum dot could improve Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) dramatically in terms of color gamut, color accuracy and reducing power consumption. This is one of the biggest breakthrough technologies for LCD in recent several years. Now quantum dot LCD is challenging AMOLED.

Touch Display Research forecasts that the quantum dot display and lighting component market will reach $9.6 billion by 2023.

4. We’ll also see many flexible/curved display at CES 2014, such as curved OLED TV, curved LCD TV, curved smart watches, wearable devices.

Touch Display Research forecasts 30 million units flexible and curved displays will be shipped for smart watch application by 2023.

Overall flexible and curved display market will reach $27 Billion by 2023.

5. ITO-replacement. At CES 2014, we’ll see many touch screen devices, from mobile phone to large public signage. ITO-replacement transparent conductor is penetrating to touch screens very rapidly. ITO-replacement attracted over 200 companies and research Institutes. We expect to see metal mesh, silver nanowire and other ITO-replacement touch panels at the show.

Touch Display Research forecasts the non-ITO transparent conductor market will grow from $206 million in 2013 to $4 billion by 2020.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Samsung Curved OLED Phone Might be Using Glass Substrate

Oct 9, 2013

Samsung’s curved OLED display mobile phone is finally official. The name is Galaxy Round, which will be available in South Korea market from October 10th for $1013.

As we covered last month, Samsung’s head of mobile business marketing, Mr. Lee, announced they are planning to launch a mobile phone with a curved display in October, but gave no specifics on the display. Now here is the spec,

Figure. Samsung Galaxy Round curved phone spec

Samsung round spec

Source: Samsung and Touch Display Research Inc.

Touch Display Research believes that the curved OLED display Samsung used on Galaxy Round mobile phone might be glass substrate, not plastic.  Samsung has registered the trade mark “YOUM” for its plastic AMOLED. But Samsung didn’t mention “YOUM” in its announcement, and didn’t mention “unbreakable” either. Thus we believe the Galaxy Round is using glass substrate.

Touch Display Research believes the eco-system for flexible and curved displays is maturing. We forecast that the flexible and curved display market will reach $27 Billion by 2023, which is about 16% market share of the global display revenue in 2023. More analysis of curved display and curved touch panel can be found in our newly published Flexible and Curved Display Technologies and Market Forecast 2013 report.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Apple curved OLED display potential suppliers

October 3, 2013

This week Korea news chosun.com reported a rumor that Apple’s iWatch will adopt a “plastic OLED”. It quoted an “industry source” said “Apple is developing three different models of the iWatch — a 1.3-inch, 1.4-inch and 1.5-inch prototype”.

Back in June 2013, Touch Display Research has forecasted that Apple will adopt AMOLED within 18 months.

Some of our industry friends asked me which company might be supplying plastic OLED to Apple.   It is very challenge to get Apple’s insider information, but Touch Display Research believes that 7 companies could be the potential suppliers of flexible curved OLED display: Samsung Display Corp, LG Display, Futaba, AUO, Innolux, Sharp, NVO, etc.

Figure. Potential Suppliers of Flexible and Curved OLED Displays

flexible curved OLED suppliers

Source: Touch Display Research, Flexible and curved display technologies and market forecast, September, 2013

As we covered last week, Samsung has announced to release a mobile phone with curved displays in October 2013. Here are the possibilities for Samsung’s curved display technologies.

Touch Display Research believes the eco-system for flexible and curved displays is maturing. We forecast that the flexible and curved display market will reach $27 Billion by 2023, which is about 16% market share of the global display revenue in 2023. More analysis of curved display and curved touch panel can be found in our newly published Flexible and Curved Display Technologies and Market Forecast 2013 report.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team