Tag Archives: market forecast

TDR accurately forecasted 4K OLED TV available time

April 16, 2015

LG has been demonstrating its 65” 4K OLED TV since CES 2014 and had road tour promotions since October 2014 in many cities worldwide. However, it is until Q1 2015, the LG 65” 4K OLED TV is available in the US market. The 65” 4K OLED TV 65EG9600 is selling for $9000 currently. Another similar model is selling for $12000 currently. LG’s website also indicated the 77” 4K OLED TV is coming soon.

Figure: LG 65” 4K OLED TV

LG 4K oLED girl

Source: LG

Over two years ago, on Jan 25, 2013 press release, we announced that “Touch Display Research forecast Ultra HD (4K) resolution AMOLED TV will be on the market by 2015”. “Although AMOLED with FHD resolution is available currently, 4K is considered the high end for TV resolution, even though 4K content is still limited,” said Dr. Jennifer Colegrove, President and analyst at Touch Display Research. “56-inch 4K resolution is just 79 ppi (pixel per inch), which is easily achievable. The challenges are how to increase yield, have good uniformity, have long lifetime, and reduce the manufacturing cost.”

Now with LG’s 65” 4K OLED TV commercially available, our forecast becomes reality in 2 years.

Figure: We accurately forecasted 4K OLED TV available time

we accuratly forecast 4K OLED TV

Source: Touch Display Research Inc. April 2015

Over a year ago, in the “Touch and Emerging Display report”, June 2013 issue, page 45, we forecasted “Apple will adopt AMOLED within 18 months”.

Now with the Apple Watch announced, our forecast becomes reality in 18 months.

Touch Display Research has a good reputation of accurate forecast. In January 2013, Touch Display Research gave a presentation at the SID Bay Area one-day conference, we forecasted “Samsung will release curved AMOLED on a device that is larger than 5” by end of 2013.” (SID Information Display chief editor Stephen Atwood wrote about our forecast in his article in Information Display Journal March 2013 issue.)

In October 2013, Samsung announced the Galaxy Round with curved AMOLED display. One month later, LG also announced the G Flex. Our forecast became reality in 9 months.

Sorry about tooting our own horn, but these are the facts. We are good at OLED forecast.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

We accurately forecasted Taiwan and China AMOLED mass production time

December 2, 2014

About 2 years ago, in the “Touch and Emerging Display report”, Feb 2013 issue, page 9, we forecasted “Taiwan will start mass produce AMOLED in 2013. But China AMOLED won’t be in mass production until 2014.” We also had a press release about this forecast on Feb 19th, 2013.

Now with EverDisplay became the first Chinese manufacturer to mass produce AMOLED, our forecast became true, after 22 months.

Figure. We accurately forecasted Taiwan and China AMOLED mass production time

TDR accurately forecast Taiwan China OLED

Source: Touch Display Research Inc., Dec, 2014

Touch Display Research has a good reputation of accurate forecast. We accurately forecasted Apple AMOLED adoption time. Over a year ago, in the “Touch and Emerging Display report”, June 2013 issue, page 45, we forecasted “Apple will adopt AMOLED within 18 months”. Now with the Apple Watch announced, our forecast becomes reality in 18 months.

Sorry about tooting our own horn, but these are the facts. We know the display industry well and we are good at forecast.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Fitbit wristband lover

February 15, 2014

This morning, I was reading Wall Street Journal and laughing. I must share with my readers.

Today’s Wall Street Journal reported that Fitbit’s new wristband–Force band causes skin rashes after user wears it for several days or weeks. A user “loved his Fitbit Force so much that when red bumps began to appear on his wrist in early February, he moved it to his other wrist. Four days later, he had rashes on both wrists, he said.”

Sometimes, we love someone or something so much, we can put up with it. The Force’s display is only 0.7 inch, the smallest among the recent released smart wearable devices. We recommend Fitbit to use a bigger and curved display on the next generation wristband. 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

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

3M announced metal mesh, silver nanowire and ITO film

December 17, 2013

It’s not a secret that 3M is developing metal mesh. What pleasantly surprised me is that 3M officially announced all 3 transparent conductor films: metal mesh film, silver nanowire film with Cambrios and ITO film.

I had the chance to talk to 3M’s marketing manager, Mr. Erik Lood, recently.  I asked him why you supply ITO film and ITO-replacement film at the same time. He indicated, “We want to offer our customers all the choices: good, better, best. Customers can choose.”

Touch Display Research forecast ITO-replacement market will grow from $206 million this year to $4 Billion by 2020.

How visible is 3M’s metal mesh lines? I’ll find out when I meet 3M in a few weeks.

More analysis can be found in our “Touch and Emerging Display report” December 2013 issue and Jan 2014 issue.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer and team

Possibilities for Samsung’s Curved-Display Technology

September 27, 2013

This week 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. Touch Display Research believes that three types of display are suitable for flexible/curved display on mobile phones: curved AMOLED, curved LCD, and curved electrophoretic active matrix.

Figure. Flexible and Curved Display Suitable for Mobile Phone Main Display

Curved display for mobile phone

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

Samsung has registered the trade mark “YOUM” for its flexible AMOLED. Rumors floated around before the release of the Galaxy Note III that it would be the first device with a flexible AMOLED, but that didn’t happen. Samsung also demonstrated a flexible LCD several years ago.

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