According to TrendForce’s analysis of the supply chain for display panels, demand slowed dramatically in 2Q22 and thereby caused inventory level to rise sharply for display driver ICs (DDIs) within a short period. However, the market for DDIs is in a notably better state now in 1Q23 following two to three quarters of price decline, reduction in wafer input, and inventory consumption. Moreover, the first quarter is the critical period when DDI suppliers set their wafer input quantities. In order to effectively meet the demand for 2H23, DDI suppliers will need to finish arranging orders with their foundry partners by the end of 1Q23.
TrendForce projects that LCD monitor shipments will return to the pre-pandemic level, coming to around 127 million units and registering a YoY decline of about 5.8%.
Shipments of monitor panels have fallen over the quarters this year due to various factors that have caused disruptions across the global economy and politics. TrendForce projects that shipments of monitor panels will total just around 158 million pieces for 2022, showing a YoY decline of 8.8%.
AMOLED Technology and Market Status—points out that the display panel industry has initiated plans for large-generation fabs that manufacture OLED panels. The migration of the OLED display technology to larger generations is driven by the recent improvements in related process technologies and materials. Also, brands have also been pushing for the adoption of OLED for larger display products. TrendForce forecasts that by 2025, the penetration rate of OLED panels among IT products will reach 2.8% on account of the gradual deployment of the supporting panel production capacity. Then, the OLED penetration rate in the IT segment is expected to take off noticeably in 2026, coming to 5.2%.
The adoption of the OLED display technology among smartphones is on a gradual rise. According to TrendForce’s latest research, the penetration rate of smartphones that feature an OLED panel (regardless of whether the OLED panel is the rigid, flexible, or foldable type) is projected to climb from around 47.7% in 2022 to 50.8% in 2023. Then, by 2026, the penetration will climb above 60%.