With AMOLED on the Rise, Full High Definition Screens Proliferate Further in Q3

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Full high-definition (FHD) panels reached a record 21 percent of the smartphone display market in the third quarter (Q3) of 2015, due in large part to increases in active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) panel adoption by Samsung and others. Increasing demand from the Chinese smartphone market, and the popularity of the Apple iPhone 6S Plus, also added to growth in unit shipments of FHD panels that are able to show 1080p images, according to IHS Inc., the leading global source of critical information and insight. AMOLED displays comprised 18 percent of all smartphone display unit shipments in Q3 2015, up from 10 percent in Q3 2014.

The Samsung group has relied on AMOLED as an important differentiating feature in its proprietary Galaxy smartphones for six years, as it helps the company achieve better color performance, on-cell touch, and slimmer and lighter form factors. To expand market adoption, Samsung Display recently changed its smartphone display strategy to begin selling AMOLED panels to external customers.

Beginning in the second half of 2015, OPPO, Gionee, vivo, Meizu, Lenovo, Huawei and other smartphone brands, installed AMOLED in their devices. Meanwhile, products like the Google Nexus 6P, the Microsoft Lumia 950XL, the Meizhu Pro 5, and the recently announced BlackBerry Priv now have AMOLED displays.

“2015 will be a banner year for AMOLED as the technology will soon be included in high-end smartphones from many other companies,” said David Hsieh, senior analyst for IHS Technology. “The simpler structure and better picture performance of AMOLED screens may even encourage Apple to consider adopting the technology in the future.”

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