When Will AMOLED Appear on Tablet PCs?

My clients often ask me “When will AMOLED be on tablet PCs?” My answer is the end of 2011; if it doesn’t happen by the end of this year, then definitely in 2012. AMOLEDs >5” have been commercialized since 2007, but until early 2011, they were still not at high volume production. The figure below shows a few devices using >5” AMOLED displays.

Figure 1                      Commercialized (or Announced) Devices with >5” AMOLED

Mobile phone makers—especially Samsung, Google and Nokia—have been using AMOLED as a key feature to compete with LCD mobile phones. According to recent DisplaySearch data, there were 43 million AMOLED shipped for mobile phones in 2010, which is more than double the 20 million AMOLED mobile phones in 2009. In comparison, there were over 1,231 million TFT LCDs shipped for mobile phones in 2010.

DisplaySearch believes AMOLED will enter tablet PC by the end of 2011 for two reasons:

• Tablet PC is an emerging application in 2011. Apple took the majority of the tablet PC share in 2010. We forecast Apple will ship 35-40 million iPad 2 in 2011, but other tablet PCs will account for 20 million units. For other brands to compete with Apple, they must differentiate. Samsung is likely to use AMOLED on its 7” tablet at the end of 2011.
• AMOLED has seen shortages in the last few years. With Samsung’s Gen 5.5 AMOLED fab likely starting mass production in mid-2011 (it may be delayed to Q3 due to the earthquake in Japan), we believe this shortage will ease, and some capacity will go to tablet PC. AUO is also going to mass produce AMOLED from a Gen 3.5 fab by mid-2011. The rumors are that AUO will produce tablet-size AMOLED in 2011. Chimei Innolux has consolidated its AMOLED efforts with the CMEL and TPO acquisitions. CMEL produced 7.6” AMOLED in 2008 for Kodak digital photo frame. Therefore CMI may also produce medium-size AMOLED at the end of 2011.

This article was first published in the April 2011 issue of my monthly report, The Emitter: Emerging Display Technologies. The following articles were exclusive to that issue:

• OLED News
  • Samsung May Delay Gen 5.5 AMOLED Fab
  • Sony May Delay NGP Launch
  • Samsung Announces Two AMOLED Phones
  • Nokia Unveils Two New Models in Smart Phone Battle
  • Japan Earthquake’s Impact on OLED Material Supply
  • OLED100.eu Develops 33 × 33 cm2 Panel    
• Silk for OTFT on Flexible Displays
• Samsung Mass Produces Transparent LCDs
• E-Reader News
  • Amazon to Sell Kindle with Ads for $114
  • E Ink Investing in China Subsidiary after Strong Q1’11
  • Apple Patents Hybrid E-Paper/Video Display
  • European E-Book Regulations
• 3D Display News
  • Samsung Announces <$50 Active Shutter Glasses
  • Toshiba to Offer Passive, Active, Glasses-Free 3D TVs
  • Toshiba May Launch Glasses-Free 3D NBs in 2H’11
  • Sony Adds More 3D TVs to 2011 HDTV Models
  • Vizio’s First 2011 Theater 3D TVs Will Ship for <$550
  • MasterImage 3D Announces $15M Investment
  • MasterImage 3D on Cinema City International
  • NVidia Releases Technology Enabling Websites to Stream 3D Video
  • More than 300K Nintendo 3DS Sold in Europe
  • Why People Don’t Buy 3D TVs
• Touch Screen Trends
  • RIM Aims to Ship High Volume of PlayBook
  • Cars with Human-Machine Interface: Voice and Touch
  • Atmel maXTouch Powers LG’s G-Slate Touchscreen
  • N-trig Expands Work with ISVs Reflecting Expansion of Slate & Pen
  • Apple Considering Price Hikes to Secure Touch Panels
  • Barnes & Noble to Update Nook Color to Android OS
  • TE Connectivity Announces 19” and 22” Touch Computer C-Series
  • Cambrios, Nissha and Synaptics Commercialize Nanowire Film for Touch
  • New Acer CEO Focusing on Tablets
  • ASUS Will Ship Eee Pad Transformer in Late April
  • Acer Selects Cypress Multi Touch Solution