Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

CTOnews.com, December 14 (Xinhua)-- Samsung is still dominant among OLED laptop panel suppliers in 2022, according to Omdia Research; the company aims to ship 5.9 million units (up 19% year-on-year). Sharp and BOE also joined the ranks of OLED laptop panel suppliers in 2022, but shipments were small. Looking ahead to 2023, Samsung's OLED laptop panel business plan sets an ambitious target of 8.5 million tablets. However, this will be a challenging goal, as overall computer market demand does not seem to rebound in 2023.

Samsung shows that Asustek, the largest OLED laptop panel customer, has faced inventory problems with OLED laptops after the second half of 2022. This issue is crucial to determine when Asustek will be able to restore its demand for OLED laptop panels in 2023. CTOnews.com learned that as demand for computers continues to decline in 2023, computer brands are trying to find attractive hardware configurations to attract consumers again, or even boost demand. The concept of folding-screen laptops is an attractive trend that will develop in 2023.

Shipments of OLED laptop panels in 2022 target year-on-year growth of 19%

According to Omdia's latest issue of "tablet and laptop display panels and OEM Market tracking report", OLED laptop panel shipments could reach nearly 6 million in 2022. Compared with previous bold forecasts, demand for OLED laptop panels has also fallen recently due to weakness in the end market and inventory burden. Among OLED laptop panel suppliers, Samsung shows that it will remain dominant in 2022, with a target of 5.9 million shipments (up 19% year-on-year). Sharp and BOE also joined the ranks of OLED laptop panel suppliers in 2022, but shipments were small. However, the two companies mainly focus on flexible OLED panels for laptops, rather than the rigid panels that Samsung displays dominate.

Looking ahead to 2023, Samsung's OLED laptop panel business plan sets an ambitious target of 8.5 million tablets. However, this will be a challenging goal, as overall computer market demand does not seem to rebound in 2023. The customer structure shown by Samsung is also a problem. The company relies mainly on two big customers, Asustek and Samsung Electronics, while other customers' demand for OLED laptop panels is forecast to be the same as before or grow only slightly. Samsung shows that Asustek, the largest OLED laptop panel customer, has faced inventory problems with OLED laptops after the second half of 2022. The issue is crucial to determining when Asustek will be able to restore demand for its OLED laptop panels in 2023; it will determine the total supply of OLED laptop panels that Samsung displays next year.

LCD laptop panel prices are expected to continue to decline in the first quarter of 2023. How can the higher-priced OLED laptop panels compete with competitive panels and attract the interest of computer brands? Another difficulty Samsung shows is how to promote OLED laptop panels when the price difference between OLED laptop panels and LCD panels is getting wider and wider.

Figure 1:OLED Notebook Panel shipments and Forecast (thousands) Note: share refers to the proportion of OLED laptop panels to total laptop panel shipments. Source: tablet and laptop display panels and OEM Market tracking report-October 2022

OLED folding screen notebook computer has become a hot topic in PC market again.

Table 1: panel manufacturers' notebook foldable OLED panel plan (thousands of tablets) as the computer market demand continues to decline in 2023, various PC brands are trying to find attractive hardware configurations to attract consumers again, or even push up demand. The concept of folding-screen laptops is an attractive trend that will develop in 2023. Lenovo launched the world's first folding screen laptop in 2020, with a 13.3-inch screen provided by LG display. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak at about the same time, this innovative PC product did not capture the market as expected. In addition, the folded size of Lenovo's 13.3-inch screen is only 6.2 inches, which is too small for laptop users to use or experience.

In 2022, the PC market will launch more OLED folding screen notebook models. Asustek launched a 17.3-inch OLED laptop with panels from BOE in mid-2022. Lenovo is also preparing to launch a second-generation OLED folding screen laptop with a 16.3-inch display in the third quarter of 2022, with panels provided by Sharp.

PC brands Hewlett-Packard and Samsung Electronics have also invested in folding-screen laptops, which may be launched in 2023. Hewlett-Packard's first folding screen laptop will have a 17-inch screen with panels provided by LG display. Samsung said it might develop a 17.3-inch folding screen laptop panel for Samsung Electronics. However, the launch schedule of the two new folding screen laptops has not yet been determined.

Even in 2023, annual shipments of OLED folding screen laptop panels are still small. PC brands continue to wait for more feedback on the user experience in terms of folding. They can then adjust the functionality of the product and even control costs to improve the affordability of future folding-screen laptops.

Welcome to subscribe "Shulou Technology Information " to get latest news, interesting things and hot topics in the IT industry, and controls the hottest and latest Internet news, technology news and IT industry trends.