There was a time when OLED displays were a novelty on smartphones, reserved only for premium flagships. Over the years, OLED (and AMOLED) smartphone displays have become mainstream, and for the first time, its shipments have actually surpassed those of TFT LCD panels.

According to market research data published by Omdia, in Q1 2024, AMOLED shipments were at 182 million units globally, an increase of 39 per cent YoY. In comparison, TFT LCD shipments were at 172 million for the same period, a decline of 10 per cent. This trend isn’t a one-off either, with OMDIA predicting that AMOLED smartphone display shipments will account for 53 per cent of the market in the second quarter this year, and grow to 56 per cent in the third quarter.

While this doesn’t mean that LCD smartphones displays are going extinct just yet, it is a sign that their usage will continue to decline over the years, particularly as the price of AMOLED displays continue falling.

Google Pixel [Image: sourced on Unsplash]

According to Hiroshi Hayase, Research Manager in Omdia’s Display research practice, “Chinese display makers are expanding the supply of high-quality AMOLED displays to Chinese smartphone brands at lower prices, rapidly replacing TFT LCDs in mid-range smartphones.”

Price has been a significant deterrent when it comes to AMOLED display adoption, but with cheaper panels now available, more smartphone brands are likely to use these displays for their mid-range lineup.

Apple stopped using LCD displays on its iPhones after the iPhone 11 series, and many cheaper Android smartphones have also made the switch to AMOLED in recent years. AMOLED screens offer significant improvements over their LCD counterparts, including more saturated colors, deeper blacks, better viewing angles, and greater energy efficiency.