IF / News

This report is to simply introduce full display 18:9 smartphone trend. However, as technology is deemed complex, it is not explained here in details.

• According to IDC, there will be more than 5B smartphones shipped globally in 2017, a 3% increased on year, which is slightly higher than in 2016. Nearly 1.3B smartphones shipped would be powered by Android. Windows Phone is virtually non-existent.
• Isaiah Research expects Huawei will ship 150M units of smartphones follows by OPPO with 109M and vivo with 86M in 2017. Yet, according to Digitimes, Huawei, OPPO and vivo might be forced to lower their targets in 2017. Full display (18:9) is believed has become another driver of smartphone growth, especially for 2H17.
• According to Sigma Intell, full display (18:9) equipped smartphone shipment would be about 10% of global shipment of smartphone in 2017, which is 150M~160M units, and this would increase to about 50% by 2020.
• According to IHS Markit, a-Si share dropped below 50% in 2016. By 2018 LTPS will exceed a-Si in terms of shipment; and by 2020, OLED will exceed LTPS. Though a-Si share is falling, mid-t0-low smartphones will continue to use a-Si for their 18:9 full display in 2017~2018.
• Samsung and Apple will lead the 18:9 full display smartphone market, with 33% and 30% market share, respectively. By end of 2017, other than Samsung and Apple, there would be more than 15 smartphone models launched with 18:9 display.
• There is at least 1 smartphone equipped with 18:9 full display launched with Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo and Meizu in 2H17. In 1H18, there will be more 18:9 full display smartphone launched.
• Panel makers including BOE, Tianma, IVO, AUO, Innolux already have 18:9 panels planned, focusing on 2H17 mass production, mainly with 7” and 5.99”. Mid-to-low still mainly uses a-Si (HD+) and LTPS (FHD+), yet high-end will be using OLED (mainly CoF).
• Samsung Display 18:9 full display OLED products mainly focus on FHD+, and its CoF is a big selling point. Samsung has agreed to supply at least 80M AMOLED panels to Apple for its “iPhone 8”. Other than Apple, Samsung Display will also supply OPPO, vivo its full display OLED panels. Samsung Display reportedly will mass produce foldable products in 2H19.
• Full display 18:9 smartphone has brought a number of challenges to front camera, front fingerprint scanner, front speakers, etc. because of the space constraint.