BOE starts constructing its 8.6-Gen IT flexible AMOLED line in Chengdu
Towards the end of 2023, BOE officially announced its plans for a 8.6-Gen flexible LTPO AMOLED line in Chengdu. The agreement with Chengdu's local government was signed in early 2024, and now BOE started to construct its new production line.
The total investment in the fab is expected to reach 63 billion Yuan (over $8.7 billion USD). The fab will have a capacity of 32,000 monthly substrates (2290x2620 mm), and is expected to begin production by Q4 2026 (total construction time will be 34 months, according to the plan).
Samsung and LG begin producing 11" and 13" tandem LTPO AMOLED displays for Apple's iPads
Reports from Korea suggest that Samsung Display and LG Display are starting to produce AMOLED displays for Apple's future iPads, to be announced later this year. Samsung is set to produce 11" LTPO AMOLED displays, while LG Display is producing displays for the 13" model (but LGD will also produce 11" AMOLEDs in the future for Apple).
The Elec says that both Korean makers developer 11" and 13" displays, but for some unknown reason only LGD will produce the 13" displays. This could change in the future, of course. One reason could be that LG Display has more experience with tandem OLED architectures (developed originally by LGD years ago for automotive OLEDs).
TCL CSoT shows tandem and LTPO OLED display prototypes
TCL is demonstrating a new 14" 4K 120Hz flexible AMOLED display that adopts a tandem display structure. The tandem structures enabled a reduction in power consumption of over 30%, an extension of the display's lifetime (3.5X) and a peak brightness of over 2,500 nites.
TCL was also showing a new 6.36" 1200x2670 LTPO AMOLED display, that features the company's new frequency division technology and self-developed frequency scanning circuits. Coupled with an ultra-low power consumption IC, it offers 15-20% power savings compared to TCL's standard AMOLEDs.
BOE: we shipped over 100 million OLED panels in 2023, will supply next-gen X1 AMOLEDs to OnePlus's upcoming smartphones
BOE hosted an event to mark the launch of its new X1 AMOLED screen, together with OnePlus, who will adopt the new display in its upcoming OnePlus 12 smartphone. BOE also announced, during the event, that it has produced over 100 million AMOLED displays already in 2023.
The OnePlus 12 will features a 2K (3168x1440) display that will offer a peak brightness of 2600 nits. The smartphone will also sport the company's own Oppo P1 display chip that features high-precision pixel calibration algorithms that ensure high brightness, high image quality - reduced power consumption (by 13%, according to OnePlus). The display is based on BOE's new-generation of LTPO backplane, that the company says offer stable high and low frequency switching and increase image performance, while reducing power consumption compared to its previous LTPO platform.
Apple cancels BOE's iPhone 15 panel orders, orders more displays from Samsung
In March 2023 we reported that BOE is developing smartphone OLED displays for Apple's iPhone 15 range, but it is facing technical hurdles, and Apple has yet to approve BOE's displays (the main problem seemed to be around the punch-hole and selfie camera and FaceID sensors).
Today Korean media says that Apple decided to cancel all of BOE's iPhone 15 display panel orders, and has moved all these orders to Samsung Display. Meanwhile LG Display has been approved as a supplier to only some of the iPhone models (specifically not the iPhone 15 Pro Max phone), and Samsung Display remains the only company that provides the displays for all of the iPhone 15 models.
The Honor Magic V2 smartphone is highly popular in China, according to JD.com
Honor started selling it Magic V2 foldable smartphone 10 days ago, and according to online retailer JD.com, the phone was the 2nd most popular premium smartphones during the week (Apples iPhone 14 Pro is the most popular phone).
The Magic V2 model sold at JD.com costs 9,999 Yuan (around $1,400 USD). It seems as this is the first foldable that reaches high popularity in China, said to be mostly because of its thin profile and low weight (compared to other foldables). The phone is also sold at other Chinese outlets and can be ordered internationally through Aliexpress.
Sigmaintell: production of OLED smartphone displays in China to jump 40% in 2023
Most analysts seem to agree that global demand for OLED displays is set to slow down in 2023. DSCC says that revenues will decrease 7% in 2023, led by a drop in demand for OLED smartphone and TV displays. Omdia also agrees, saying that OLED fab utilization remains low.
China-based Sigmaintaell, meanwhile, is optimistic on China's own OLED industry, expecting production to jump 40% in 2023. Sigmaintell says that Chinese phone makers are increasing their adoption of OLED displays in high-end and mid-range models. The company's analysts expect over 220 million Chinese OLED panels to ship in 2023, and China's OLED market share to rise to 38%, up from 28% in 2021.
LG Display and Samsung Display are both working on special glass-TFE OLEDs for Apple's future iPads
Apple's interest in OLED displays for future iPad tablet device is not secret, and many analysts estimate that the first such device will be released in 2024.
One of Apple's requirement is for superior performance for its tablets compared to smartphone AMOLED displays - and so developers are relying on a tandem OLED structure. According to a new report from Korea, LG Display is developing another unique technology for Apple's iPads.
Amorphyx Q&A about champion performance in IGZO TFT for OLED Smartphone applications
This is a sponsored post by Amorphyx, where display industry consultant Ian Hendy has interviewed Amorphyx's CEO John Brewer
Q: Can you start by telling us a little about what Amorphyx does, John?
Amorphyx has several fundamentally new technology platforms that provide for TFT performance improvements in three areas: (1) Switching speeds, with options to move to the Tera-Hz range ultimately, (2) Power, where the IGZO AMeTFT can achieve even lower power performance than today’s LTPO OLED Pro Motion displays and better refresh range, and (3) Small transistor size.
Our technology platforms are lower cost than the alternatives, and move from amorphous and crystalline semiconductor approaches, to devices based on different effects that do not have a semiconductor at all, yet can still drive a display, drive current, deliver grey scale and switch very fast. Or they can operate a flex IC at higher clock speeds than known today.
For now, our main commercial focus is on IGZO AMeTFT which is fundamentally a potential replacement transistor for LTPS or LTPO used in modern OLED phones and has the capability to replace more highly compensated LTPO circuits in modern Smartphone displays due to enhanced stability.
Omdia: the smartphone market is shrinking, but the LTPO-AMOLED display segment is growing fast
Market research firm Omdia says that the global smartphone market is shrinking, and is set to fall 18% in 2022 to 1.425 billion units. LTPS AMOLED display shipments will decline 19% compared to 2021 to 44 million units (LCDs will decline even faster at 26%).
The only segmented that Omdia says is growing is the LTPO AMOLED one, with a fast growth of 94% in 2022 (to 148 million units), and will continue to grow in 2023 (25%).
