Apple introduced the expensive flexible OLED displays on its wearables before bringing it to iPhones. Now that it has familiarized the tech with the public, a report says Apple will reportedly account for about half of flexible OLED smartphones launching in 2021.
TheElec’s report says that according to a research firm Stone Partners, 2021 will record a total of 1.39 billion smartphone shipments while 2020 will reportedly account for 1.265 billion. Among them, LCD, and total OLED smartphone shipments will be 793, and 597 million respectively. Here, the total OLED consists of two- rigid OLED, and flexible OLED devices.
Accordingly, the report says close to 315 million smartphones will use flexible OLED panels next year. And this is 52% higher than the current year’s predicted shipments of 207 million. Besides, Apple will reportedly ship 160 million OLED iPhones in 2021 which is an 80% jump from the already estimated 90 million. This is more than 50% of the total flexible OLED smartphone shipments.
Also, the report says the company’s use of flexible OLED for iPhones will make flexible OLED shipments surpass the rigid OLED for the first time in 2021. For the unware, OLED is an Organic- Light Emitting Diode. Flexible OLED has a flexible/soft substrate made of plastic to last more than Glass. They are resistant to impact as well as lighter, and thinner. Apple brought the flexible OLED displays to wearables with Apple Watch in 2015, and to the iPhone X in 2017.
Coming back, companies like Samsung, Huawei will ship 90 million, and 8 million flexible OLED smartphones next year. The reason for the sudden drop in Huawei’s outlook is reportedly due to the US ban. That said the gap of 50 to 60 million of Huawei’s flexible OLED shipments will now be filled by Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo says the report. Xiaomi and OPPO will reportedly churn out 18 million flexible OLED smartphones. And Vivo will ship about 12 million units in 2021.
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