OLED Screens Are Our Present and Future - MacroPolo (2023)

Electronic displays are an underappreciated yet integral feature of our digital economy—they are literally all around us. A quiet revolution is taking place in this market, as the dominant liquid crystal display (LCD) technology yields ground to a superior substitute: the organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

OLED displays produce more vibrant colors than LCDs and can be used to make flexible screens. Although OLEDs are still relatively expensive, rising demand is expected to increase production and drive down prices. By most industry indications, the OLED display seems to be the future.

It is therefore imperative to understand the concentration of OLED supply chains in East Asia, even as the United States remains a significant source of OLED inputs. We begin by examining the market ascendancy of OLEDs.

Rising Demand for OLED Displays

The key demand driver for OLED displays is the smartphone market. In addition to being a mini-computer in your pocket, improvements in processing power and larger screen sizes are turning smartphones into the “ultimate TV” for streaming content and playing games.

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OLED technology is superior to LCDs for smartphone displays because OLEDs use organic materials to illuminate displays that are thinner, brighter, and higher contrast, are faster but more power-efficient, and are viewable from wider angles. OLED smartphone shipments are expected to skyrocket from 390.6 million units in 2016 to 812.4 million units in 2021, with the proportion of OLED displays rising from 17% in 2015 to 43% by 2024.

AMOLED Smartphone Shipments (million units)

Note: AMOLED is the major type of OLED display used in smartphones. Source: IHS.

Smartphone by Type of Display (%)

Source: IHS.

Beyond smartphones, OLED displays are also penetrating smart wearables (like watches), head-mounted displays for virtual reality, televisions, and tablets. The latest applications include digital signage, interactive kiosks, and automobile displays, particularly in autonomous vehicles. These OLED products are expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23%, even higher than the 15.7% CAGR projected for OLED smartphones.

AMOLED Non-Smartphone Shipments (million units)

Source: IHS.

To accommodate this demand, new and existing manufacturers have been expanding OLED capacity over the last decade. By 2022, OLED production capacity is projected to be almost 25 times greater than what it was in 2012.

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OLED Capacity (million meters2)

Source: IHS.

Stronger demand for OLED displays will also translate into greater revenue for OLED producers. The market for OLED flat panel displays is forecast to increase from $12.2 billion in 2015 to $58.7 billion in 2024, when OLEDs will constitute over 40% of flat panel revenues, up from 10.7% in 2015.

Flat Panel Display Revenues (USD billions)

Source: IHS.

A key distinguishing feature of OLED displays compared to LCDs is their potential flexibility, as OLED displays are lighter and thinner and can be engineered to bend, curve, and fold.

Flexible OLED displays are only just starting to emerge, and their full commercial potential is still unrealized. But industry observers seem confident that flexible displays will soon become a common choice. Shipments are anticipated to surge from 1.5 million units in 2019 to 53.4 million units in 2025, with the market hitting $24.5 billion by 2023.

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Flexible Display Panel Shipments (million units)

Source: IHS Markit.

Flexible vs. Rigid AMOLED Shipments (%)

Source: UBI Research.

Falling Cost of OLED Displays

OLED technology has not yet displaced LCDs mainly because it is costlier to produce. But as demand for superior displays and flexible devices increases, OLED production will invariably grow, creating greater economies of scale.

For example, from 1Q 2015 to 2Q 2017, the cost of manufacturing a 55-inch UHD TV panel with an OLED display fell from 426% of LCD costs to 245% of LCD costs. If this trend persists, as seems likely, then OLEDs could reach cost parity with LCDs in the coming decade, accelerating OLED’s adoption as the preferred display technology by major producers.

Unit Manufacturing Cost of 55-inch UHD TV Panel (USD)

Source: IHS; Statista.

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East Asia is the Epicenter of OLED Display Production

If costs continue to fall—and lingering technical issues like “burn-in” are resolved—then demand for OLED technology should rise accordingly. As such, OLED displays will be ubiquitous in the coming decades of our digital future, touched every few minutes by billions around the world.

Because electronic displays are a capital-intensive, volume-based business, OLED manufacturing will naturally concentrate in regions and countries that can produce these displays at the largest scale and at the lowest cost.

The industry was until recently dominated by South Korean companies, especially Samsung, but China’s BOE is now the world’s second-largest producer of OLED smartphone displays. Corning and UDC are the major American players in the sector because they control market-leading technologies for key inputs like high-tech glass and organic materials.

Mapping the highly-concentrated OLED supply chain is thus essential to understanding the risks and opportunities for a product that is becoming a crucial component of consumer lifestyles, workplace productivity, and even military hardware.

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FAQs

What are the current and future applications of OLED? ›

The Sony 11-inch XEL-1 OLED TV.

Research and development in the field of OLEDs is proceeding rapidly and may lead to future applications in heads-up displays, automotive dashboards, billboard-type displays, home and office lighting and flexible displays.

What is the future scope of OLED technology? ›

OLED technology may usher in a new era of large-area, transparent, flexible and low-energy display and lighting products. The flexibility of OLEDs enables manufacturers to produce OLEDs using roll-to-roll manufacturing processes, and allows for the production of flexible display and lighting products.

Does OLED have a future? ›

OLED displays produce more vibrant colors than LCDs and can be used to make flexible screens. Although OLEDs are still relatively expensive, rising demand is expected to increase production and drive down prices. By most industry indications, the OLED display seems to be the future.

What is the major drawback of OLED screens? ›

Besides the noted advantages of OLED display, some of the disadvantages include: Shorter lifetime then some other display technologies. This shorter lifetime is mainly due to the blue organic material but lifetime gets better all the time but is also due to moisture migration. Poor sunlight readability.

What technology will replace OLED? ›

Big brands like Sony, LG, and Samsung all have their own take on Mini LED panels for their TVs, and all signs point to it overtaking OLED as the go-to technology. Mini LED has been around since around 2021, but since then, more of the big brands have adopted it.

Is OLED the newest technology? ›

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode and is one of the newer technologies available for TVs and other digital displays.

What are 3 advantages of OLED? ›

OLED TV: Advantages
  • #1 They have deep blacks and render high contrast. ...
  • #2 OLED TVs offer wider viewing angles. ...
  • #3 In a way, OLED TVs are more energy efficient. ...
  • #4 OLED TVs are much thinner. ...
  • #5 OLED TVs have an unparalleled response time.
Sep 19, 2022

What are the three advantages of OLED displays? ›

An OLED display have the following advantages over an LCD display: Improved image quality - better contrast, higher brightness, fuller viewing angle, a wider color range and much faster refresh rates.

How many years does OLED screen last? ›

According to LG—one of the leading manufacturers of OLED panels in the world—while OLED panels lose brightness over time, it'll take a whopping 54 years before they fall to 50% brightness. You're obviously never going to own a TV for 54 years, and the tech hasn't been around long enough for anyone to test that claim.

Will OLED become obsolete? ›

As the old saying goes, it's never a good time to buy a new TV. There's always newer technology or a better deal coming. Based on trends over the last decade, OLED isn't going anywhere. In fact, the tech seems to be further cementing itself at the top of best TV lists everywhere.

Is OLED good for long term? ›

OLED TVs have great picture quality; however, there are concerns about their long-term performance due to the possibility of permanent image retention, commonly referred to as burn-in. Our previous 20 hours per day burn-in test ran for a little over two years, and the OLED TV has permanent image retention.

Is OLED less harmful for eyes? ›

Reducing daily exposure with OLED TV is a good choice because they emit less blue light overall than traditional LCD televisions.”

Is OLED good or bad for eyes? ›

To sum it up, OLED displays are better for your eyesight. They have more natural lighting, better color contrast, and a wider color range.

What is the lifespan of OLED vs LED TV? ›

Durability. LED TVs have been around for many years and have proven to be extremely reliable, typically providing many years of trouble-free service. OLED TVs haven't been around as long, but their expected lifespan is around 100,000 hours (similar to LED TVs).

What is the closest thing to OLED? ›

The following are the 10 best alternatives to a Sony OLED TV:
  • LG OLED TV C2 Series.
  • Samsung QLED TV QN90B Series.
  • Hisense H9G Quantum Series.
  • Vizio P Series Quantum X.
  • TCL 6 Series/R625.
  • Sony X750H Series.
  • Philips OLED+934.
  • Skyworth OLED TV.
May 5, 2023

Which is better OLED or QLED? ›

In terms of picture quality, OLED TVs are generally considered to be the better option due to their perfect blacks and infinite contrast. However, QLED TVs can still produce very high levels of brightness and colour accuracy, and they are often more affordable than OLED TVs.

Is OLED the best screen technology? ›

If you have the money to spend and your priority is getting the best possible screen quality from your TV, smartphone or gadget, we'd say that OLED is absolutely worth the money. Your experience with the colours and contrast of movies, streaming shows, documentaries and games will never be better.

What is better quantum dot vs OLED? ›

The chief difference is that OLEDs typically deliver better black levels while quantum dot displays enable higher color purity. In fact, the latest quantum dot displays are capable of reproducing as much as 93% of the visible colors in nature, while OLEDs are currently replicating a maximum 75% of the Rec.

Who owns OLED technology? ›

In January 2015, LG Display signed a long-term agreement with UDC for the supply of OLED materials and the right to use their patented OLED emitters. LG is the leader in the push for OLED Televisions.

What is the TV technology in 2023? ›

2023 Overview

Most brands this year are focused on improving the peak brightness of their high-end models and improving Mini LED backlight features. Many brands have also announced wider availability of 144Hz panels, with most high-end TVs supporting this higher refresh rate for PC gaming.

Which company is the leader in OLED production? ›

Samsung Inc. is the leader in OLED production and it uses OLEDs in almost all their flagship devices like Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Note 5. 5. The use of OLEDs is seen in the curved TVs.

Why is the OLED better than the original? ›

The most noticeable difference between Nintendo Switch and OLED, its counterpart, is its display. The original Switch model features an IPS LCD screen, while the OLED Switch has a 4K resolution AMOLED display, which makes for vibrant colors and deeper blacks.

Does LCD last longer than OLED? ›

Lifespan. LCDs have been on the market much longer than OLEDs, so there is more data to support their longevity. On average LCDs have proven to perform for around 60,000 hours (2,500) days of operation. With most LCDs you can expect about 7 years of consistent performance.

Why is OLED so much better? ›

OLED has better contrast and black level

One of the most important image quality factors is black level, and their emissive nature means OLED TVs can turn unused pixels off completely, for literally infinite contrast.

What is the conclusion of OLED? ›

Today, we can summarize the situation of OLED microdisplays as follows: – They have demonstrated unprecedented and unrivalled performance, especially in terms of: - image quality (contrast, color, etc.); - low power consumption; - compactness.

What's so great about OLED? ›

OLEDs offer many advantages over both LCDs and LEDs: The plastic, organic layers of an OLED are thinner, lighter and more flexible than the crystalline layers in an LED or LCD. Because the light-emitting layers of an OLED are lighter, the substrate of an OLED can be flexible instead of rigid.

What are the pros and cons of OLED display? ›

Pros and Cons

OLED displays have higher contrast ratios (1 million : 1 static compared with 1,000 : 1 for LCD screens), deeper blacks and lower power consumption compared with LCD displays. They also have greater color accuracy. However, they are more expensive, and blue OLEDs have a shorter lifetime.

What are two uses of OLED screens? ›

OLED technology is used in commercial applications such as displays for mobile phones and portable digital media players, car radios and digital cameras among others, as well as lighting. Such portable display applications favor the high light output of OLEDs for readability in sunlight and their low power drain.

Can OLED burn-in be fixed? ›

Image burn-in can not be fixed, repaired, or reversed; once it happens, the display screen will suffer from continual image quality degradation. The term burn-in dates back to when old monitors using phosphor compounds that emit light to produce images lost their luminance due to severe usage in specific display areas.

Will an OLED TV last 10 years? ›

No wonder why OLED TVs get their nickname “forever TVs”. They should last you for 10 years or more at 8-10 hours of watching per day, which proves these televisions are exceptionally durable devices. They are extremely delicate, so always handle them with care.

Are OLED screens easy to damage? ›

PSA: OLED screens are fragile!!! Just a PSA really to remind you all to take extra care with your OLED screens. I have an LG C1 and was recently plugging in a hdmi cable when the other end of it swung around and struck the screen.

What are the problems with OLED? ›

What is OLED burn-in? Burn-in has been a common concern among prospective OLED TV buyers for years. Image retention (commonly referred to as burn-in) is a display issue that manifests as a ghostly afterimage left on the screen following heavy use.

Is OLED worth the extra money? ›

Is OLED TV worth buying? OLED TVs have the best picture quality, best viewing angles, infinite contrast ratios, true blacks, and—on some models—very thin profiles. So, while OLED TVs aren't as bright as LED or QLED TVs, and are more expensive than both, they're well worth the investment.

Do OLED TVs get worse over time? ›

OLED pixels very, very slowly get dimmer as they're used. In most cases this isn't an issue since you're watching varied content and all the pixels, on average, get used the same amount. But if you're only watching one thing, that one thing could cause uneven wear.

Does OLED reduce battery life? ›

In the marketplace, for example, a laptop with an OLED display using high-white content like typical webpage browsing, Microsoft Office work, and more, will typically have a six-to-seven-hour battery life whereas a traditional LCD display will have a 10-to-11-hour battery life.

Do OLED TVs use a lot of electricity? ›

OLEDs also tend to have slightly higher energy consumption than LEDs, but not if you're using a bright LED TV and watching HDR content. You can use our power consumption calculator above to give you an estimate of how much you'll be spending on electricity annually, but it all depends on the type of content you watch.

Does OLED have radiation? ›

Televisions and monitors: Flat-screen televisions and monitors (e.g., LCD, OLED, plasma) do not use cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and therefore do not produce ionizing radiation. Older televisions and computer monitors that contain CRTs may emit x-rays.

What is the disadvantage of OLED lighting? ›

Drawbacks or disadvantages of OLED

Their lifetime is shorter compare to other display types. White,Red and Green OLED offer lifetime of about 5 to 25 years where as blue OLED offers about 1.6 years. ➨It is expensive compare to LCD. ➨It is susceptible to water and hence it can be easily damaged by water.

Why does OLED give me a headache? ›

Smartphones with OLED screens may be the cause of your health issues such as headaches, eyestrain, or nausea — you may be sensitive to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).

Does OLED affect sleep? ›

It was found that most people's core body temperature and energy expenditure “significantly decreased after OLED exposure”, more so than those who were exposed to LCD lights. That equated to a more restful sleep for those exposed to OLED.

Are OLED screens healthier? ›

Professionals on Why OLED is Better for Eye Health

An OLED TV is not only beneficial for better sleep by emitting lower levels of bluelight but also a better choice to minimize eye strain as it is free from flickers or glares.

Does OLED emit blue light? ›

OLED pixels emit their own light. Eyesafe® Certified OLED TV emits lower amounts of blue light compared to traditional LCD TVs, while maintaining perfect black, high contrast characteristics and excellent picture quality.

Is it worth getting OLED vs LED? ›

In some cases, the reduction in blue light can result in half as much blue light being emitted when compared to LED/LCD panels. In short, this means OLED monitors are better for your eyes. It's important to reduce blue light as much as possible, as it's high energy visual light with the potential to be harmful.

Is it worth buying OLED over LED? ›

Both OLED and LED screens can give you a sharp picture. If you want the best image possible and can afford it, you should go for an OLED. The combination of ultra-high definition, standard high dynamic range, and more accurate colors means that an OLED is among the best screens you can buy.

Does OLED or QLED last longer? ›

Durability: QLED displays are more durable and long-lasting than OLED displays. This is because quantum dots are highly stable, which means that they are able to maintain their color and brightness over a longer period of time than OLED displays.

What are the current applications of OLED? ›

OLEDs are used to create digital displays in devices such as television screens, computer monitors, and portable systems such as smartphones and handheld game consoles.

What are the applications of OLED? ›

OLED displays are mainly used in digital devices such as high-end television systems, computer monitors, pocket-size systems such as Android phones, media players, digital cameras, portable gaming consoles and mini-screens.

What are different applications for OLED? ›

OLED Display Applications – Examples
  • Kitchen Appliance. chevron_right. For more detail.
  • Pulse Oximeter. chevron_right. For more detail.
  • Portable Blood. Glucose Meters (BGMs) chevron_right. For more detail.
  • Laser Rangefinders. chevron_right. For more detail.
  • Interchangeable. Lenses for Cameras. chevron_right. For more detail.

What is the future of LG OLED TVs? ›

As CES 2023 kicks off fully, LG Display has announced its new, third-generation OLED panel technology that will appear in future TVs. Using what it calls META technology, the new panel is capable of even greater brightness than the currently adopted EX panel unveiled last year - up to 60 per cent brighter, in fact.

What is the big deal with OLED? ›

OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, screens offer performance traditional LCD just can't match. They have incredible contrast ratios that make the image look much more lifelike. It's why companies like LG, Sony, and now Samsung have OLED at the top of their TV model lines.

What is the importance of OLED screen? ›

Advantages of OLED Display

The substrate of OLED is plastic or it can be a glass that is generally used in LCDs and LEDs. * LED is dimmer than OLED and this is because of the thin organic layers that help in the light emission. Also, OLED does not need glass support which is one of the main components of LCD and LED.

What are the best features of OLED? ›

Thanks to a panel design that's fundamentally different from LCD TVs, OLED TVs naturally produce perfectly inky black levels, highly saturated colors, smooth motion, and superior viewing angles. In short, OLED TVs provide the best picture quality around—but they're priced accordingly.

What are the benefits of using OLED technology rather than LCD? ›

OLED displays have higher contrast ratios (1 million : 1 static compared with 1,000 : 1 for LCD screens), deeper blacks and lower power consumption compared with LCD displays. They also have greater color accuracy. However, they are more expensive, and blue OLEDs have a shorter lifetime.

How is OLED different from other screens? ›

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. The main way in which OLED technology differs from what you would find in a more conventional LED/LCD monitor is that each pixel can autonomously emit light. This is because all pixels are linked to the electroluminescent layer, or the emission of light.

What are the improvements to OLED 2023? ›

The QD-OLED 2023 displays use breakthrough new OLED HyperEfficient Electroluminescence material to make its blue-emitting layer more efficient and clearer. This results in 30% brighter screens.

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