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Foldable OLED Devices Expand into Medium-to-Large Markets, Led by Tablets and Laptops

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Huawei’s ‘MateBook Fold’

Huawei’s MateBook Fold

The foldable device market is rapidly expanding beyond smartphones into medium-to-large display segments such as tablets and laptops. Recently, Amazon and Huawei have begun developing and releasing foldable tablet and laptop products, marking a significant step in market expansion. Apple is also reportedly preparing to launch a foldable tablet PC after 2027.

Amazon is currently developing an 11.3-inch foldable tablet PC, with the display panel being supplied from BOE’s B12 production line. The first samples are scheduled for delivery in Q1 2026, with mass production set to begin in April of the same year. The planned production volume is approximately 1 million units, and the cover window will use Ultra Thin Glass (UTG).

Meanwhile, on May 19, Huawei officially launched its first foldable laptop, the MateBook Fold. The device features an 18-inch display when unfolded and functions as a 13-inch device when folded. It offers a 3.3K resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio. The weight is 1.16 kg, and the thickness when unfolded is only 7.3 mm. The display is supplied by Chinese OLED panel maker TCL CSOT and adopts LTPO and tandem structures, achieving about 30% power consumption reduction compared to previous models. The folding radius is 1.5 mm based on Token UTG, significantly enhancing durability. In fact, its shock resistance is reported to be improved by approximately 200%.

Apple is also developing a foldable tablet and is expected to launch the product as early as 2027 or as late as 2028. Samsung Display is anticipated to be the initial supplier of panels for Apple’s foldable tablet PC. Industry watchers believe Apple’s entry will serve as a catalyst for growth in the medium-to-large foldable display market.

While foldable devices have traditionally been limited to smartphones, they are now expanding into tablets and laptops, creating new demand. This shift is accelerating the evolution of related display technologies and component ecosystems.

Junho Kim, Analyst at UBI Research (alertriot@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Small OLED Display Annual Report Sample

▶2025 Mid-to-Large OLED Display Annual Report Sample

Accelerating competition in the development of next-generation HUD display products with Micro-LED technology

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This year, companies are engaged in intense competition to develop Micro-LED HUD products for automotive use at display exhibitions such as CES, Touch Taiwan, and SID. Major panel manufacturers such as AUO and Innolux in Taiwan, and BOE, TCL CSOT, and Tianma in China have unveiled a host of new products. These companies are the main suppliers of LCD HUD products.

AUO exhibited a 13-inch micro LED AR HUD, while Innolux’s CarUX implemented a HUD on the windshield using a 9.6-inch Micro-LED reflective display solution with 9.6-inch Micro- LED.

AUO-13”-AR-HUD

AUO 13” AR HUD

BOE showcased two HUD display solutions at SID. One is a 6.2-inch (624×360) RGB Micro-LED HUD, and the other is a monochrome Micro-LED HUD achieving up to 300,000 nits. TCL CSOT unveiled a 14.3-inch (1700 x 650) Micro-LED PHUD, while Tianma showcased an 8-inch (1204×608) HUD.

BOE-6.2”-HUD

BOE 6.2” HUD

TCL-14.3”-HUD

TCL 14.3” HUD

Tianma-8”-HUD

Tianma 8” HUD

These products achieve high resolution and high contrast ratios based on the advantages of Micro-LEDs, offering differentiation and the potential to replace existing LCOS products. As a result, panel manufacturers are engaging in intense competition to secure a technological lead in the market.

According to UBI Research’s “2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trend Analysis Report,” this year’s vehicle display shipments are expected to exceed 240 million units, with Mini-LED and OLED panels gradually increasing. As competing technologies, companies are actively developing differentiated technologies applied to Micro-LED HUD products.

In summary, automotive displays are one of the key areas of the future display market. As the importance of displays has grown as a key differentiating factor in smart cars, the automotive display market will become an essential competitive arena for panel manufacturers. In other words, with the smart evolution of vehicles, HUDs will become mainstream, and companies will need to respond and compete accordingly.

Namdeog Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research(ndkim@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

[SID 2025] Automotive Micro LED Displays (LG Display, AUO, BOE, TCL CSOT, TIANMA)

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Micro LED technology, when will it play a leading role in next-generation displays?

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Over the past few years, we have analyzed trends in micro-LED technology and products. Along with the advancement of mini-LED backlight technology, micro-LED has emerged as the next-generation display technology, and interest is growing in when micro-LED will enter the mainstream market. Major display companies and research institutions in countries such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, and Europe have been accelerating technology development and product commercialization through years of investment, achieving a significant transition from the laboratory stage to mass production. However, the market share of micro-LED in the overall display market remains low, and the pace of commercialization as a mainstream product is still slow.

Samsung Electronics has been leading the way in next-generation display technology with its giant micro-LED TV, ‘The Wall,’ for several years now. Now, with price competitiveness and production efficiency improvements, the company is at a point where it needs to expand into the consumer market in earnest.

Taiwan’s AUO recently showcased automotive micro-LED displays and mirror displays at CES and Touch Taiwan, focusing on targeting the B2B market. The company aims to begin mass production of its 4.5-generation micro-LED production line this year. PlayNitride is preparing to mass produce panels for smartwatches and AR glasses based on its high-brightness, high-resolution technology.

Chinese companies BOE, TCL CSOT, and Tianma are expanding their demonstrations and investments in micro-LED panels and are leading the way in preparations for mass production. BOE’s subsidiary HC SEMITEK is promoting the construction of a micro-LED Epi wafer manufacturing, chip production, and packaging base in Zhuhai City, and at the end of last year, it announced the start of production of a 6-inch substrate micro-LED mass production line. TCL CSOT is preparing to enter the TV and automotive display markets through a joint research institute established with Sanan in 2020 and a joint venture, Extremely Display, to develop and commercialize products. Tianma completed its TFT-based micro-LED production line in December last year and is ready to begin small-scale shipments in phases starting this year. In addition to leading in mass production speed, the company is also accelerating technological advancements such as improving yield rates for 6-inch wafer Micro LED, enhancing laser transfer efficiency, and refining precise tiling bonding. This has been confirmed through the company’s efforts to showcase technological improvements and strengthened productization at technology exhibitions.

At the international business conference ‘OLED & XR KOREA 2025’ hosted by UBI Research, presentations on Micro-LED technology and market trends were provided for TV/large-screen displays, AR, smartwatches, and automotive displays.

According to UBI Research’s analysis, the Micro-LED consumer market is expected to be driven by TVs and AR glasses by 2027, with smartwatches and automotive displays gaining market share by 2028. It is predicted that Micro-LED will break into the mainstream market around 2028, moving beyond premium product segments.

 

More detailed information and technical analysis will be provided in a report to be published by UBI Research at a later date.

Nam Deog Kim, UBI Research Analyst(ndkim@ubiresearch.com)

▶Micro-LED Display Technologies for XR Applications Report Sample

Small OLED display shipments in 2024 are expected to increase by 200 million units compared to 2023 and exceed 1 billion units in 2025

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‘1Q25 Small OLED Display Market Track’

‘1Q25 Small OLED Display Market Track’

According to UBI Research’s ‘1Q25 Small OLED Display Market Track’, which includes application performance and outlook for smartphones, foldable phones, smartwatches, etc., small OLED shipments in 2024 are expected to reach 980 million units, an increase of approximately 200 million units from 773 million units in 2023. The small OLED market is expected to exceed 1 billion units in 2025.

Looking at the 2024 performance, most panel manufacturers in Korea and China saw an increase in shipments of 40 to 50 million units, and in particular, Chinese panel manufacturers TCL CSOT, Tianma, Visionox, and Everdisplay saw shipments increase by more than 50% compared to 2023. BOE, China’s largest panel manufacturer, saw its panel shipments increase by only about 8% due to temporary production suspensions caused by disruptions in iPhone supplies throughout the year.

Not only Chinese panel makers, but also Korean panel makers have seen a significant increase in shipments. As rigid OLED panels began to be applied to Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy A series, Samsung Display’s shipments are expected to surge from 320 million units in 2023 to 380 million units in 2024. LG Display’s smartphone OLED shipments also increased from 52 million units in 2023 to 68 million units in 2024 as its supply of panels for iPhones expanded.

With Chinese panel makers’ shipments steadily increasing, and Samsung Display’s rigid OLED shipments and LG Display’s iPhone panel shipments also increasing, small OLED shipments in 2025 are expected to easily exceed 1 billion units.

“OLEDs are being widely applied to lower-end models of Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy A series and low-cost models from Chinese set manufacturers, and BOE and Visionox’s new 8.6G lines are also designed to produce panels for smartphones, so small-sized OLED shipments are expected to continue to rise for the time being,” said Han Chang-wook, Vice President of UBI Research.

Chang Wook HAN, VP/Analyst, UBI Research(cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶Small OLED Display Quarterly Market Track Sample

CES 2025 becomes a competition hall for panoramic HUDs

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We will introduce the contents of the “2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report” published by UBI Research in February 2025 as a series. As the first series, we will introduce Panoramic-HUD, which is included in the report.

Generally, automotive head up displays are projected on the windshield, the windshield of a car, and the driver can see a virtual image generated several meters away. Unlike general HUDs, Panoramic HUDs directly reflect the image projected from the display onto a black film coated on the lower surface of the windshield, but they are classified as HUDs because they allow the driver to maintain a head-up view while driving.

Panoramic HUDs are implemented using a direct image method, so their design is simple and the system cost is low. This reduces manufacturing costs while enabling the digital experience of premium vehicles. In addition, P-HUDs have the advantage of being able to use polarized sunglasses that prevent glare because they reflect p-polarization. Therefore, it is expected that panoramic HUDs will enter the market before AR-HUDs become widespread. At this year’s CES, several companies announced Panoramic HUDs, reminiscent of the P-HUD competition arena. BMW calls its panoramic HUD “Panoramic Vision” and announced that it will be installed in the Neue Klass model to be released from 2025. It uses TFT-LCD and has a brightness of about 5,000nits, but higher brightness is needed to improve outdoor visibility, and for this purpose, it is working closely with e-LEAD, a Taiwanese company that manufactures black films.

(Source: BMW)

(Source: BMW)

BOE introduced a P-HUD with a brightness of 5,000nits (normal) / 7,000nits (10% peak) by applying a 44.8-inch oxide TFT-LCD panel and 2,850 zone local dimming, and polarized sunglasses can be used because the P-polarization reflectance is 25%.

TCL-CSOT introduced a P-HUD with a brightness of 11,000 nit by applying three 11.98-inch TFT-LCD panels and 384 zone local dimming.

CarUX, a subsidiary established by Innolux in 2019, introduced a 48-inch P-HUD and boasted a high brightness of 14,000 nit by using a micro-LED panel.

Hyundai Mobis introduced a transparent P-HUD with a transmittance of 95% by introducing holographic technology from Zeiss in Germany, and plans to mass produce it in 2027. Continental also introduced the “Scenic View HUD,” a panoramic HUD with three TFT-LCD panels and local dimming, in 2023, and plans to release it in 2026.

Since the P-HUD is located in the vent, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning hardware must be rearranged, and heat dissipation issues must be resolved, so there are many issues to be resolved in addition to the display, so it took a long time, but 2025 is expected to be the first year of the P-HUD release.

This report covers the overall trends of vehicle display technology, including HUD, as well as the status of display development and vehicle application by finished vehicles, electrical equipment manufacturers, and panel manufacturers. If you are involved in the automobile and display industries, now is an important time to analyze market trends and prepare future strategies. We hope that you will gain insight one step ahead through this report so that you can understand the future trends of the vehicle display market in advance and proactively respond to industry changes.

UBI Research Chang Wook HAN Analyst(cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report Sample

Samsung Display continues to dominate the OLED market for foldable phones

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Foldable OLED shipment forecast

Foldable OLED shipment forecast

According to the ‘2024 Small OLED Display Annual Report’ recently published by UBI Research, OLED shipments for foldable phones are expected to increase from 27.4 million units in 2024 to 52.7 million units in 2028.

According to the report, Samsung Display’s OLED shipments for foldable phones in 2023 will be 13.4 million units, a 6.3% increase from 12.6 million units in 2022. Also, among Chinese panel makers, BOE shipped 6.2 million units of OLED for foldable phones, more than three times the 1.9 million units in 2022, while TCL CSOT and Visionox each shipped 1.1 million units of OLED for foldable phones.

Although there is fierce pursuit by Chinese companies, Samsung Display is expected to still take the lead in the foldable phone market. Samsung Electronics, to which Samsung Display supplies panels, is expected to expand the models of the Galaxy Fold series scheduled to be released this year, and Samsung Display’s foldable phone panels are expected to be applied first to Apple’s foldable iPhone to be released in the future. Based on such technological prowess and competitiveness, Samsung Display’s dominance in the foldable phone market is expected to continue for the time being.

▶ 2024 Small OLED Display Annual Report Sample Download

Samsung Display’s foldable OLED expected to exceed 50 million units in 2027

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Foldable OLED shipment ratio forecast

Foldable OLED shipment ratio forecast

According to the ‘2023 Small OLED Display Annual Report’ recently published by UBI Research, Samsung Display’s OLED shipments for foldable phones are expected to reach 50.9 million units in 2027 with an average annual growth rate of 28.1% from 18.9 million units in 2023.

According to the report, Samsung Display’s foldable OLED shipments in 2022 were analyzed to be 12.6 million units, accounting for 85.1% of global foldable OLED shipments in 2022. BOE, TCL CSOT, and Visionox mass-produced some foldable OLEDs, but Samsung Display led the foldable OLED market.

It is expected that Samsung Display will continue to dominate the foldable OLED market in the future. It seems difficult for TCL CSOT and Visionox to record annual shipments of more than 1 million units by 2027, and unless LG Display also secures a customer, the time for mass production of foldable phone panels is unclear.

Lastly, the report forecasted global OLED shipments for foldable phones to be 61.4 million units in 2027, with Samsung Display expected to account for 82.9% of the market with 50.9 million units and BOE with 9.6 million units and 15.7%.

▶ 2023 Small OLED Display Annual Report Sample Download

[CES 2023] TCL CSOT 65″ 8K Inkjet Printing OLED

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#Inkjetprinting #TCLCSOT #CES2023

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Is China’s 6G flexible OLED line reorganized?

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According to the ‘2022 OLED Display Semi-Annual Report’ recently published by UBI Research, it is predicted that the 6G flexible OLED line in China will be reorganized.

Representative companies that produce flexible OLED for smartphones in China are BOE, TCL CSOT, Tianma, and Visionox. EDO also owns some flexible OLED lines, but is mass-producing panels mainly for rigid OLED.

Among them, TCL CSOT and Visionox have recently continued to business difficulties, the possibility of reorganization of its flexible OLED line in China is being raised.

TCL CSOT mainly supplied panels to Xiaomi, but recently, due to panel performance issues and Tianma’s promotion, it was found that the 3Q utilization rate of the T4 line with a monthly capacity of 45K was only 10%.

In particular, the operation of ph-3 is being delayed indefinitely due to the low utilization rate of ph-1,2. In addition, TCL CSOT has tried to promote the panel supply for the Apple iPhone series, but it does not seem to get good results.

Utilization rate of TCL CSOT T4 line until August 2022, Source: 2022 OLED Display Semi-Annual Report

Utilization rate of TCL CSOT T4 line until August 2022, Source: 2022 OLED Display Semi-Annual Report

Visionox, which mainly supplies flexible OLED to Honor, has recently been operating the V3 line with a monthly scale of 30K, but the panel price is set at $30 or less, and its sales are greatly affected. It is a situation in which the utilization rate is guaranteed by securing a clear customer, but profits are not guaranteed.

For this reason, there is a possibility that BOE will take over the T4 line of TCL CSOT and the V3 line of Visionox. Daejeong Yoon, an analyst at UBI Research, said, “In the case of the T4 line, if BOE puts OLED facilities into the B20 LTPS line in the future, the possibility of taking over the T4 line of TCL CSOT and using it, or after the sale of the V3 line from Visionox, there is a possibility to acquire a part of the T4 line. In the case of the V3 line, it is also heard that the Hefei government has offered to acquire BOE.”

Although it is unlikely that China’s 6G flexible OLED line will change rapidly right now, attention is focused on how Chinese panel makers will continue to operate their lines in the future in a situation that has been evaluated as over-investment in the past and the market stagnation.

▶ 2022 Small OLED Display Semi-Annual Report Sample Download

Chinese Government’s Aggressive Movement Toward Domestic Product Exclusivity. What Next for Korean Companies?

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Recently, there is a movement to manufacture display-related materials, materials, and equipment exclusively in China. According to the ‘2022 OLED Components and Materials Report’ recently published by UBI Research (www.ubiresearch.com), China National Development and Reform Commission(国家发展和改革委员会) or Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China(中华人民共和国工业和信息化部) are providing investment funds to Chinese OLED display-related developers and are rapidly moving towards domestic demand.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China is planning a large-scale support project for display-related materials, equipment, and parts for domestic demand in China. The companies selected for the project will receive unprecedented subsidies from the Chinese government. Recently, the Ministry of Public Information and Security is believed to have supported FMM and related evaporators and other equipment. In addition, the items promoted by the National Development and Development Committee of China for domestic demand will be developed and mass-produced within three years, and all domestic production will be carried out within five years.

In addition to government projects, companies are also active in domestic demand. BOE, China’s largest display maker, has already made significant investments for domestic demand. In March, BOE CEO Gao Wenbao, who felt the pressures due to volume and cost, ordered a special policy directly for purchase planning. In the process of diversifying business partners for cost reduction, BOE reviewed only domestic companies, excluding overseas companies. Of BOE’s investment in materials, materials and equipment for domestic demand, about 70% of the capital has already been invested. The investment is expected to be completed by 2023.

The Chinese government has included display in the national high-tech strategic industry early on and has provided unprecedented support to display companies such as BOE and TCL CSOT. In addition, the Chinese government is raising import tariffs on materials and parts that can be produced in China and is meeting the needs of domestic demand.

In order to widen the gap with China, which is closely chasing Korea from LCD to OLED, the Korean government must take active measures. The Korean government will designate display as a national high-tech strategic technology in the ‘Special Act on National Advanced Strategic Industries’, which will be enforced on the 4th of next month and will provide tax support and various benefits to display companies.

▶  2022 OLED Components and Materials Report Inquiry

[China Trend Report] TCL CSOT delays new investment all at once

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<Display technology strategy announced by TCL CSOT at DTC 2021>

According to the China Trend Report published by UBI Research, the schedules of TCL CSOT’s 8.5G LCD line T9 and 6G LCD line T5 are expected to be delayed.
In early July, the T9-1 was put into operation, but overall equipment orders for the ph-2 were delayed. According to the report, the schedule is expected to be delayed by about six months.
The schedule of the T5 line is expected to be postponed indefinitely. The T5 line was expected to begin mass production in the second half of 2023, but the schedule is indefinitely postponed and the mass production schedule is also uncertain.
Accordingly, TCL Chairman Li Dong Sheng, who is scheduled to visit Korea at the end of July, is expected to seek the understanding of Korean equipment makers due to the delay of schedules for LCD lines as well as consultations due to Samsung Electronics’ decrease in TV panel volume.
After visiting Korea, he is expected to visit JOLED in Japan to check inkjet technology. According to this visit, it is expected that the outline of whether the T8 line will be applied with inkjet process or deposition technology will be revealed in the future.

China Trend Report Inquiry

[China Trend Report] TCL CSOT’s T8 Project to Invest in Generation 8.5 Inkjet Printing Technology

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According to the ‘China Trend Report’ published by UBI Research, TCL CSOT plans to apply the generation 8.5 inkjet printing OLED technology to the T8 line. It is expected that some layers will be formed by vapor deposition in the inkjet printing method rather than the complete inkjet printing method. The location is likely to be Guangzhou.

TCL CSOT’s T8 line was scheduled to start construction in March 2022 using the inkjet method, but there were rumors that the schedule continued to be delayed due to investment scale and yield issues. There are also talks about the project being canceled altogether. However, it seems that TCL CSOT has continuously improved its technology by continuously collaborating with JOLED. They also announced related contents at DTC 2021 held in November 2021.

It is is expected that mainly OLEDs for IT and automobiles will be mass-produced at the T8 line. The investment schedule and details of the TCL CSOT T8 project can be found in the ‘March China Trend Report’.