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Q1 New OLED Product, Smartphone·Wearable Rapid Increase…LG Maintains TV Monopoly

Galaxy S7 edge ( Source = Samsung )

Galaxy S7 edge ( Source = Samsung )

Hyunjoo Kang / jjoo@olednet.com

Of the new OLED display equipped products released in Q1 2016, smartphone and wearable products significantly increased compared to the same period in 2015. However, for OLED TV sector, no news was reported in Q1 other than LG Electronics’ new product.

According to UBI Research, 17 new OLED equipped smartphones were released in Q1 2016. This is 4 more than Q4 2015, and 12 more than Q1 2015. Of these, Samsung Electronics released 4 smartphones including Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, responsible for the largest proportion. Following Samsung, ZTE, Gionee, Acer, and BLU each launched 2 OLED smartphones, and Vivo, HiSense, Konka, HP, and Microsoft released 1 each. Of the companies, 6 are from Greater China Region.

For OLED equipped wearable new products, 7 were released in Q1, 2 more than Q4 2015, and 4 more than Q1 2015. Sony, Oculus, HTC, and Sulon released new VR products. Epson released smartglasses, and Fitbit and Intex released smartbands. OLED wearable market showed much activity in Q2 2014 with over 20 new products centering around smartwatch and smartband products, which quietened down since then. However, with recent new releases of VR and smartband devices, the market is being rejuvenated.

LG is still dominating the OLED TV market. LG Electronics was the only company to release new OLED TV in Q1, and released 4 products in 55 inch – 77 inch. The market showed some movement in Q1 2016 when several Chinese companies, including Haier and Changhong, released OLED TV. However, since then the market, except for LG, has been quiet. This is analyzed to be due to high price of large area OLED panel, panel supply shortage, etc. In Q2, China’s Skyworth released a new product but the sales are known to be less than anticipated.

One expert explained that large area OLED still have issues that need to be solved compared to small OLED including price competitiveness. He added that latecomers such as Chinese companies are slow to select OLED for TV compared to smartphone.

Panel Shortage for Chinese Smartphone Industry…Supply Discussion with Taiwanese Panel Companies

ZTE`s Smartphone (출처=GSMARENA)

ZTE`s Smartphone (출처=GSMARENA)

Hyunjoo Kang / jjoo@olednet.com

Recently, DigiTimes reported that Chinese smartphone companies are discussing supply with Taiwanese panel companies due to panel shortage. According to the report, executives of Chinese smartphone companies such as ZTE, Vivo, GiONEE, etc. and Chinese panel companies including Truly recently met with Taiwanese panel companies, AUO, Innolux, Chunghwa Pictures Tubes, etc.

The reason that Chinese smartphone companies are experiencing the panel shortage is known to be because their panel suppliers reduced smartphone panel production due to too low prices. However, DigiTimes reported that Huawei is receiving relatively sufficient amount of panels from BOE, Tianma, etc.

Meanwhile, Skyworth, one of key Chinese OLED TV selling companies, showed lower than anticipated OLED TV sales in financial year of 2015 which ended in March. Chinese media reported that this is due to insufficient supply of OLED panel from LG Display.

2016 AMOLED Market, UBI Forecasts USD 14.8 Billion, IHS 15 Billion…Rapid Growth

 

 

2016~2020 AMOLED Market (Source = UBI Research)

2016~2020 AMOLED Market (Source = UBI Research)

Hyunjoo Kang / Reporter / jjoo@olednet.com

The global AMOLED market is estimated to record USD 15 billion in 2016.

According to IHS, market research company, 2016 global AMOLED market is expected to record USD 15 billion, an increase of 25% from 2015. IHS estimates that OLED’s low yield and lifetime are improving, and new markets such as VR are expanding.

IHS’ forecast is similar to UBI Research’s estimation of USD 14.8 billion.

According to UBI Research’s 2016 OLED Display Annual Report, the global AMOLED market is expected to record USD 14.8 billion and maintain the high growth at CAGR of 49% until 2020. The company estimates that the fast growth will be possible due to active mass production of OLED panel for TV and flexible OLED panel for mobile device, and the start of latecomers’ mass production.

Both research companies expect high growth for OLED panel for smartphone and TV.

IHS forecasts that OLED equipped smartphone will occupy up to 21% of the total smartphone market, an increase of 4% from 2015. Furthermore, the company estimates that the OLED TV panel shipment will increase to over 900,000 units, an increase of 125% from last year.

For UBI Research, the company expects the shipment of 4-6 inch panel for smartphone to be 242.9 million units in this year’s OLED panel market. The shipment for 55 inch or larger large size panel for TV is expected to be 1.2 million units.

Meanwhile, this rapid growth of AMOLED market is being led by Korea. 2016 OLED Display Annual Report estimates that AMOLED panels to be produced in Korea are expected to be approximately 270 million units and occupy about 95% of the total shipment. Korea is also estimated to occupy 96% of the revenue for this market in 2016 with USD 14.218 billion.

 

New Products to be Released Using Visionox’s AMOLED Display

On Dec. 25th, Visionox announced that two products using its display panels will soon be released, including a 5.5 inch AMOLED display applied to high-end smartphone, and a 1.45 inch AMOLED display applied to smartwatch.

 

5.5 inch AMOLED Display Panel, Source : Visionox

5.5 inch AMOLED Display Panel, Source : Visionox

 

It is noted that the 1.45 inch AMOLED display has a display resolution of 272X340 and pixel resolution of 300 ppi, which reaches the highest pixel resolution in the domestic similar products. The thickness is less than 1 mm and the frame is only 1.5 mm. Furthermore, this display also offers MIPI and SPI interface functionality.

 

1.45 inch AMOLED Display Panel, Source : Visionox

1.45 inch AMOLED Display Panel, Source : Visionox

 

The smartwatch using 1.45 AMOLED display will be on sale in mainland China during the Spring Festival 2016 and the smartphone using 5.5 AMOLED display will be released to overseas market in Mar. 2016

AMOLED Smartphone to Exceed 200 Million Units This Year

It is anticipated that AMOLED display equipped smartphone will exceed 200 million units this year.

 

According to a market research company UBI Research, AMOLED equipped smartphone recorded 60 million units in Q3 2015, and estimated the total shipment of this year to be above 220 million units. This is approximately a 40% increase compared to last year’s result of 160 million units.

 

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This increase of shipment for AMOLED applied smartphone in 2015 is analyzed to be due to AMOLED panel application to low-to-mid priced smartphone and increase in the number of models produced.

 

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Q3 2015 performance of 60 million units is a 26% QoQ, and 80% YoY, and analyzed to be showing a rapid growth.

 

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Samsung Electronics Announces Flexible Price Strategy for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in H2

Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge

On July 30, Samsung Electronics announced their second quarter earnings results and future outlook via conference call.

 

The sales of IM (Information Technology and Mobile Communications) department recorded approximately US$ 13,000,000,000, a 1% increase from the previous quarter. The business profit of approximately US$ 2,000,000,000 was recorded, an increase of US$ 17,000,000.

 

Although the overall sales increased through Galaxy S6 release, due to the supply issues of Galaxy S6 Edge, and increase in marketing cost, the business profit did not much increase. Samsung Elec. explained that due to the decrease in sales of low-mid-price old models, degrowth was shown compared to the previous quarter. However, ASP was much improved due to product mix development.

 

Robert Yi, chief of the firm’s investor relations team, revealed that 89,000,000 units of mobile phones and 8,000,000 units of tablets were sold in the second quarter. The ASP of these products recorded mid US$ 200s. Of the mobile phone sales, the percentage of smartphone sales was in low 80s.

 

Yi announced their plan to increase the market share through flexible price strategy for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in the second half and strengthening of low-to-mid price smartphone line up. He also mentioned that enlargement of display size and AMOLED panel use could occur for future lower priced items.

 

The price of Galaxy S6 Edge that exceeded US$ 1,200 initially, recorded US$ 739 in the second week of July. If the currently operational A3 line yield improves and investment for transforming part of rigid A2 line to flexible occurs, flexible AMOLED panel’s mass production capa. will increase from the second half. This will simplify AMOLED panel supply process, and it is analyzed that the flexible price strategy for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will be feasible.

 

For the display section, it was revealed that the results were slow compared to the previous quarter due to increase of cost from new flexible display line ramp up and decrease in smartphone demand. Samsung Elec. explained that in the second half, they are planning to increase the market leadership through flexible technology improvement. The new growth power will be achieved through development of new applications such as transparent, mirror, and head mounted display.

 

Samsung Elec. revealed that there was difficulty in acquiring initial supply regarding the Galaxy S6 Edge. They explained that this was due to the use of new technology, including the large area evaporation technology of A3 line that began operation in April this year. However, the problem has now been solved and reliable supply is possible, and the firm revealed the possibility of supply of flexible OLED panel to external companies. The panels will be supplied to meet the needs of client and market, and some capa. establishment will also occur next year. Product performance and production cost competitiveness are improving, and the firm revealed strategy of increasing the OLED panel sales to external companies this year.

 

During this conference call, Samsung Elec. revealed that the total sales was recorded to be approximately US$ 41,000,000,000 in second quarter of this year which is a 3% increase compared to the previous quarter. The business profit recorded approximately US$ 6,000,000,000, an increase of 15% compared to the previous quarter.

 

[Analyst Column] AMOLED equipped smartphone promotes enlargement of the display on mobile device

According to the “2015 OLED Display Annual Report” published by UBI Research, it was researched that the 5-inch AMOLED display is the main product for a smartphone.

The report shows almost no fluctuation in the number of AMOLED equipped smartphone manufacturers for the last three years from 2012 to 2014 – 13 (2012), 11 (2013) and 14 (2014) – but the major smartphone display size that these companies sold was set in-between 4-inch and 5-inch.

150216_[Analyst Column] AMOLED 탑재 스마트폰이 모바일용 디스플레이 대형화 주도_eng

 

Among 31 AMOLED equipped products, there was only one 5-inch smartphone accounting for 3 percent in 2012, but it has increased to 21 percent with 5 products among 21 in 2013, and 19 products in total of 27 forming 70 percent in 2014.

Samsung Electronics strategized the two elements which are not available in iPhone as points of differentiation to compete with the biggest smartphone rival company Apple. The first plan is targeting the color gamut of LCD. The existing LCD can only reproduce approximately 80% of NTSC which is the broadcasting standard. Although it became possible to enjoy TV and movies through a smartphone with the development of communication technologies, there is a difficulty in reproducing the 500nit of TV quality on a smartphone with the brightness of 200nit. The limit in increasing the brightness of a smartphone is in that the power consumption needs to be minimized to use the smartphone for a long time with the battery. In view of that, Samsung Electronics chose the AMOLED panel as a key strategic part meeting the NTSC standard in low power consumption as an alternative for the LCD panel for the consumers to identify more precise colors. It is expected that the demand for AMOLED panel capable of accurately realizing colors of a product will increase further given the latest growth in shopping clothes with smartphones.

The second plan is in the display size. While iPhone focused on a 3-inch small sized smartphone for a better sense of grip to enhance portability, Samsung Electronics was more focused on “a product of better visibility” rather than “a product of better hand grip”. Obviously the early AMOLED panel has low resolution. Therefore, the bigger display was needed to realize high-resolution as it is hard to fix the opening ratio of shadow mask which is used in manufacturing the pixel for AMOLED panel.

Samsung Electronics succeeded in catching up with Apple, the inventer of smartphone, in terms of the color gamut and size of AMOLED display. Now Apple finally abandoned the matter of grip and expanded the display size to 5-inch.

Although Samsung Electronics was a latecomer compared to Apple in the smartphone market, the choice of AMOLED by Samsung Electronics made the Samsung Electronics of today and also prepared the base for the AMOLED to thrive. In addition, the Samsung Electronics’ strategy enabled the smartphone display in the world to develop into a 5-inch “device to see”.

 

Choong-hoon Yi, Chief Analyst/ UBI Research