Global Flexible OLED Market - 2024-2031

Global Flexible OLED Market reached US$ 7.83 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 117.70 billion by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 40.32% during the forecast period 2024-2031.

OLED is an innovative display technology that facilitates aesthetically pleasing and energy-efficient displays and lighting panels. OLEDs are being utilized in numerous mobile gadgets and televisions and the forthcoming generation of these panels will be flexible and pliable. OLEDs represent the newest technological advancement in the display sector, offering higher performance and enhanced optical properties relative to traditional LED and LCD displays.

The application of flexible display technology in smartphones and tablets remains ambiguous due to external factors, including user acceptance, protection and cost-effectiveness, which pose significant challenges for smartphone manufacturers. However, it may find extensive application in other industries, such as automotive and transportation.

Samsung Display intends to establish a new sixth-generation flexible OLED production line. The new line will supplant the existing LCD line utilized for TV production at SDC's Asan facility. The new fabrication facility will incur a cost of approximately US$ 2.7 billion and will possess a monthly capacity of 30,000 substrates. This would augment Samsung Display's AMOLED production capacity to 195,000 substrates per month.

Dynamics

Technology Advancements

The flexible OLED market is propelled by its capacity to transform display and lighting goods through its distinctive attributes of flexibility, transparency and energy efficiency. The capacity to manufacture flexible OLEDs through roll-to-roll techniques enables economical large-scale production, establishing them as transformative in applications including wearable technology, curved displays and advanced lighting solutions.

The initial market debuts of flexible OLEDs in smartwatches and curved displays underscore their increasing adoption and pave the way for further application across other industries. Innovations in materials and manufacturing techniques are essential facilitators for the flexible OLED market. Improved barrier layers for flexible plastic substrates and thin-film encapsulation methods are essential for assuring longevity and safeguarding against environmental elements such as moisture and oxygen.

The technological advancements are expected to result in the commercial availability of extremely adaptable OLED panels, capable of integrating smoothly into both flat and curved surfaces. Exhibitions by prominent display and lighting firms highlight the revolutionary capabilities of this technology, driving substantial investment and expediting its journey towards general acceptance.

Automotive and Wearable Applications

Flexible OLEDs are increasingly being adopted in the automotive industry for their capacity to fit effortlessly into curved or atypical surfaces. These displays provide distinctive aesthetic allure and usefulness for automotive applications, encompassing infotainment systems, dashboard displays and head-up displays. The adaptability of OLEDs facilitates unique designs that improve the driving experience while ensuring good visibility and clarity, especially in difficult lighting circumstances.

Furthermore, the energy efficiency and reduced thickness of OLEDs allow manufacturers to create more streamlined and modern vehicle interiors, reflecting a burgeoning trend in the automotive industry. Wearable technology, especially in smartwatches and fitness trackers, benefits from flexible OLED screens. The displays offer a slim, lightweight option that adapts to the wrist's contours, improving user comfort while maintaining display quality.

Flexible OLEDs provide vivid color accuracy, elevated contrast and minimal power usage, rendering them optimal for wearable devices necessitating extended battery longevity. With the rising demand for fashionable and practical wearable technology, the adaptability and efficiency of OLEDs render them a favored option for improving both visual appeal and functionality in this swiftly expanding sector.

Degradation Issues

A major limitation in the flexible OLED market is the difficulties related to the solvent employed in the deposition process of semiconductor, insulating and conductive layers. The incorporation of solvents in the all-solution processable approach for the fabrication of flexible color-tunable electroluminescent devices may result in undesirable interactions with the underlying layers. The binding of the solvent to these layers may induce their expansion. The expansion adversely affects the integrity of the multilayer structures, thereby diminishing the overall performance of the device.

The potential for layer degradation is especially alarming for flexible OLED technologies, where the preservation of accurate, high-quality multilayer structures is crucial for optimal performance. The proliferation of underlying layers may lead to diminished efficiency, stability and durability of the device. The industry's pursuit of scalable, high-performance flexible OLED systems faces a substantial obstacle in regulating solvent interactions and maintaining structural integrity, hindering the mainstream adoption of these technologies.

Segment Analysis

The global flexible OLED market is segmented based on product, store type, end-user and region.

Advancements driving Mobiles and Television

The global proliferation of smartphones is rapidly escalating the need for high-definition ultra-high screens. Numerous organizations, like Apple and Samsung, are utilizing AMOLED screens in their flagship models, prompting other firms to adopt the practice. Nonetheless, a flexible OLED offers numerous advantages, particularly in mobile devices, including lighter, smaller and more resilient displays compared to glass-based alternatives. There were a significant advantage for mobile phone producers, as they offered enhanced performance, durability and weight reduction.

In May 2022, LG Display Co. Ltd announced the introduction of its next-generation OLED solutions at the 2022 Society for Information Display (SID) held in San Jose, California. The items encompassed OLED.EX as well as bendable and foldable OLED panels. This innovation is anticipated to reinforce the company's leadership in the OLED market examined.

Geographical Penetration

Growth in Disposable Incomes in Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific dominated the market, the economies of significant nations such as India and China are expanding, resulting in a rise in consumers' disposable incomes. Consequently, progressing towards the adoption of high-end electronic devices, such curved televisions and luxury cellphones. Consequently, propelling the flexible OLED market within the area.

In recent year, Samsung announced the creation of a flexible OLED display that could prove essential for future wearable electronics that adhere to the skin and conform to its contours. Samsung developed individual OLED pixels that are ridged and positioned on a flexible elastomer substrate to produce a flexible display. Connections between the OLEDs are established using a flexible material, as are the traces from the display to the driver system.

Furthermore, Chinese enterprises are rapidly establishing extensive production facilities for the manufacture of OLEDs. BOE is establishing a manufacturing facility for smaller OLEDs in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing. The OLED production line is the largest in a single factory in China, manufacturing 115 million panels each year.

Competitive Landscape

The major global players in the market include LG Display Co. Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., AUO Corporation, BOE Technology UK Limited, Ritdisplay Corporation, Universal Display Corporation, Visionox Company, WiseChip Semiconductor Inc., Royole Corporation and Sony Group Corporation.

Sustainability Analysis

The flexible OLED market is advancing toward more sustainable and energy-efficient technologies, driven by the growing demand for soft electronics and stretchable OLEDs (is-OLEDs). OLEDs offer high energy efficiency and vibrant color reproduction, making them pivotal in modern display technology. The transition from rigid to flexible displays has led to innovations in materials, such as nanocomposites and intrinsically stretchable polymers, which maintain flexibility while improving device performance.

Although substantial progress has been made in enhancing the luminance and stretchability of is-OLEDs, challenges remain in refining manufacturing processes and improving device resolution. Sustainability in the is-OLED market is also influenced by the materials used in the production of stretchable cathodes, including silver nanowires (AgNWs), graphene and PEDOT:PSS. The materials offer flexibility but come with trade-offs, such as lower conductivity compared to conventional metals and the need for complex, manual lamination processes.

The fabrication techniques can lead to defects, misalignment and reduced manufacturing yields, impacting the sustainability of the production process. While electrode materials like stretchable aluminum and silver films show promise, their integration into OLEDs requires intricate processes that could hinder large-scale, cost-effective production. Further advancements in material science and manufacturing techniques are crucial for improving the efficiency and sustainability of flexible OLED technology.

Consumer Behaviour Analysis

The flexible OLED market is undergoing a substantial shift due to improvements in OLED technology, which differentiates itself from conventional rigid displays by virtue of its flexibility and lightweight characteristics. In contrast to traditional displays that depend on backlighting, OLEDs utilize organic materials that generate light when energized, resulting in slimmer and more vivid screens. The advent of flexible OLEDs has created new opportunities in display design, facilitating applications like folding smartphones, curved digital signs and wearable technology.

The displays provide exceptional durability and resilience while also enhancing energy efficiency, so fostering a more sustainable and adaptable digital ecosystem. The ongoing digital transformation is increasing the demand for flexible and transparent OLED displays, especially in marketing and advertising sectors. Transparent OLED displays provide outstanding visual clarity, featuring high-definition resolutions and color accuracy exceeding 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

The displays provide seamless integration with tangible items, fostering new and compelling customer experiences. Transparent OLEDs, with their capacity to display vibrant, realistic colors and distinctive transparency attributes, are emerging as a crucial asset for marketers aiming to engage consumers and uphold brand integrity in a progressively competitive digital environment.

By Technology

• AMOLED
• PMOLED

By Substrate Material

• Plastic
• Metal Foils
• Glass
• Other

By Application

• Mobiles and Television
• Monitors and TVs
• Wearables
• Other

By Region

• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• Middle East and Africa

Key Developments

• In August 2024, Samsung Electronics introduced a variety of Neo QLED, Micro LED, OLED and Lifestyle display collections. The new Lifestyle range display has AI-driven functionalities protected by Samsung Knox.
• In January 2024, Sharp NEC unveiled a next-generation MultiSync ME Series monitor featuring a high haze panel and native USB-C connectivity.
• In June 2022, LG Display collaborated with the international architecture and design company Gensler to launch the Maars M923, a cutting-edge Transparent OLED partition. The Maars M923 utilizes OLED technology to provide a distinctive equilibrium between openness and privacy, transforming spatial dynamics and visual presentations with the choice of transparency or vibrant colors, eliminating the necessity for an additional TV or monitor.
• In June 2022, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. bought Cynora GmbH. Cyonara is creating a novel category of organic emitting materials for OLED displays with TADF (Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence) technology. This technique will enable the company to develop the inaugural high-efficiency blue-emitting material, the most coveted substance among OLED display manufacturers.

Why Purchase the Report?

• To visualize the global flexible OLED market segmentation based on technology, material substrate, application and region, as well as understand key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities by analyzing trends and co-development.
• Excel data sheet with numerous data points of the flexible OLED market with all segments.
• PDF report consists of a comprehensive analysis after exhaustive qualitative interviews and an in-depth study.
• Product mapping available as excel consisting of key products of all the major players.

The global flexible OLED market report would provide approximately 62 tables, 54 figures and 207 pages.

Target Audience 2024

• Manufacturers/ Buyers
• Industry Investors/Investment Bankers
• Research Professionals
• Emerging Companies