The growing number of notebooks featuring OLED displays will pose a threat to notebooks using mid- to high-end oxide and low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD displays, according to industry sources.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si), oxide, and LTPS TFTs have certain advantages in LCDs. For example, a-Si TFTs, which are the most widely used, are relatively mature and cost less. However, demand for oxide TFTs and LTPS TFTs has grown in mid- and high-end products.
In terms of notebook displays, statistics from Sigmaintell Consulting revealed that 39.8 million oxide TFT LCDs and 12.7 million LTPS TFT LCDs were shipped in 2022, a significant growth. Sigmaintell estimates the penetration rate of oxide TFT LCDs and LTPS TFT LCDs will reach 28% by 2025.
In recent years, Apple has led the industry in oxide-TFT LCD use, which is used by the MacBook Pro featuring 4K 120Hz and certain MacBook Air models. Apple accounted for 38% of global notebook oxide TFT LCD shipments in 2022, followed by Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard (HP), and Dell, which each have about 15%.
Lenovo, HP, and Dell account for nearly 80% of the LTPS-TFT LCD market share—Lenovo leads with 48%.
The main suppliers of oxide TFT LCDs include BOE Technology, LG Display (LGD), and Sharp, which are all also core display suppliers for Apple. China-based display makers HKC and TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (TCL CSOT) are also accelerating their layouts for oxide TFT LCDs and expect to begin mass production in 2023-2024, according to sources.
With Apple set to switch its notebook products over to OLED in 2026, the competition for customers in the oxide TFT LCD market is expected to further intensify and may increase pressure to reduce panel production, sources said.
The main suppliers of LTPS TFT LCDs are AUO, TCL CSOT, and Tianma Micro-Electronics. Innolux and BOE Technology are also expanding the development of LTPS TFT LCDs.
Over the next three to five years, notebook players expect shipments of LTPS TFT LCDs will grow as notebooks continue to upgrade. However, as competition amid small-sized flexible OLED panels intensifies and prices for mid-sized rigid OLED panels continue to fall, the price gap with LTPS TFT LCD products is gradually shrinking. Additionally, the establishment of an 8.7-Gen OLED production line at a South Korean factory is likely to lower OLED costs, which could stifle LTPS TFT LCD shipment growth.
Article translated by Eifeh Strom
