LG loves to brag as to how big they are in OLED TVs, but the reality is that arch rival Samsung is also a global leader in OLED display manufacturing when it comes to OLED panels for third parties for use in notebooks, smartphones and monitors as well as their own products.
This month LG issued a press release claiming that they have over 50% of the OLED TV market and they have, the only problem is that their LG Display division that has struggled for years to make a profit is failing to make a dent in the fast growing OLED monitor market.
LGD’s financial performance remains weighed down by the roughly $10 billion investment in 2 Gen 8.5 OLED fabs that have been operating at 50% to 60% utilization over the past 3 years and is expected to continue the UT rate thru 2025.
- In 2022, TV OLED panel shipments fell 17% YoY to 6.4 million units in 2022 compared to a production capacity of 10.5 million. Estimated sales came to 4.3 trillion KRW and there was an operating loss of around 950.0 billion KRW.
- In 2023, shipment volume was 4.4 million units (down 31% YoY), due to weak demand. Estimated sales in 2023 came to 2.9 trillion KRW and the operating loss widened to about 1.0 trillion KRW.
- In 2024, LGD reported 5.9 million units (for an average plant capacity utilization rate of 60%). Sales were just under 4.0 trillion KRW.
Recently LG Display announced that they had swung to a net loss in the fourth quarter of last year, citing the impact of a weakened Korean won.
The company reported a net loss of A$928 million for the October-December period, swinging from a net profit of A$50M a year earlier.
Its fourth quarter operating income fell 36.9% with a battle now emerging for both Samsung and LG OLED display divisions as Chinese Companies roll out new OLED and LED manufacturing capabilities.
Samsung is one of the main manufacturers of OLED displays in the world, and they are punting on increasing shipments by 50% with new affordable models a move that could seriously hurt LG.
The South Korean Company currently holds a big majority in the OLED monitor market, achieving a 71% share of OLED panels for monitors last year.
The Korean Herald said recently “It’s probably no exaggeration to say that wherever Samsung tries to take OLED is where OLED will go”.
According to analysts the big focus for manufacturers is OLED monitors and it’s here that Samsung is hurting LG Display having picked up major contracts with the likes of Apple.
One of the key products is the OLED MacBook Air.
Samsung will shortly release a 27-inch QHD monitor later this year and expects it to be a “game changer” in the premium monitor market.
It then plans to enter the “mid-to-low price range” for gaming monitors.
It’s not clear yet what a budget OLED monitor will look like, but it should go a long way toward popularizing the tech and speeding up the transition from LCD.
Currently Samsung Display is the world’s leading AMOLED producer by volume and is also the world’s only QD-OLED panel makers.
SDC is producing around 500 million AMOLED panels per year (both flexible and rigid panels) used in smartphones, wearables, tablets, laptops and more.
Last night Samsung Electronics announced the availability of its newest Odyssey gaming monitors, as well as the ViewFinity S8.
The 2025 Odyssey lineup includes the revolutionary Odyssey 3D, the stunning Odyssey OLED G8 — which features an industry-first 4K, 240Hz screen — and the ultrawide Odyssey G9.
These monitors, which push the boundaries of immersion and excellence, have been meticulously designed to deliver excellence to modern gamers.
“At Samsung, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge display technology that enhances the gaming experience,” said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.
“The new Odyssey monitors represent a significant leap forward in innovation, visual quality and performance, empowering gamers to fully immerse themselves and perform at their best.”
