According to Omdia's latest research data, large-size OLED (over 9 inches) shipments will increase by 32.7% year-over-year in 2025, a growth driven by the booming IT OLED market. Large-format OLED shipments are expected to grow by up to 116.5% year-over-year by the end of 2024, with demand for products such as monitors, laptops, and tablets being the main drivers of growth.
IT OLED market is making its mark
Unlike a market that has traditionally dominated OLED TV displays, the growth of the large-format OLED market since 2024 has been mainly focused on IT OLED products, especially in monitors, laptops, and high-end tablets. There are several factors behind the rapid growth of IT OLED shipments, including the increasing demand for high-quality displays for artificial intelligence (AI), gaming laptops, and high-end laptops. Apple's iPad Pro OLED series, which will be launched in 2024, is also expected to drive tablet OLED shipments.
As more and more manufacturers turn their attention to the IT OLED market, especially in the display sector, Korean companies are investing more to make up for the slowdown in demand for TV OLEDs. In addition, Chinese manufacturers are also accelerating their expansion, especially in the production of OLED displays for pcs, tablets, and laptops, aiming to capture a larger market share before their 8.6th generation it RGB OLED factory goes into production.
South Korean manufacturers have increased their focus on display OLEDs
For a long time, the OLED TV display segment was dominated by Korean manufacturers, but as demand growth in this area slowed, Korean manufacturers gradually shifted their focus to display OLEDs. The demand for high-end and gaming monitors is driving this shift, and the laptop OLED market is expected to see even greater growth in 2025 with the commissioning of the first generation 8.6 generation IT OLED factory planned by Samsung Display. This shift will not only help Korean manufacturers cater to the demand for high-end laptops, but will also benefit from the demand for higher display quality for high-performance gaming and AI-powered devices.
Figure: Large-format OLED shipments are expected to grow by 32.7% in 2025, with IT OLEDs as a key driver (Source: semiconductordigest)
Despite the strong growth trend of display OLEDs, the growth rate of the tablet OLED market is expected to slow in 2025. Omdia analysis points out that iPad Pro OLED shipments in 2024 are lower than expected, and panel manufacturers are more cautious about production planning for 2025.
Geopolitical factors are driving the OLED market shift
Apart from product demand and technological advancements, geopolitical factors are also important factors driving the growth of the IT OLED market. Some global PC manufacturers are gradually reducing their reliance on high-end LCDs in favor of OLED displays due to concerns about the geopolitical situation. This shift has not only helped these manufacturers improve the display quality of their products, but has also helped to reduce their reliance on Chinese-made displays, further driving the demand for OLED panels in South Korea.
The growth rate of the TV OLED market has slowed
While the large-size OLED market is generally on the rise, the growth rate of the TV OLED market is still limited. Shipments of OLED TV displays are expected to grow by just 1.4% year-over-year through 2025. The growth of TV OLEDs is challenged by multiple challenges such as a limited customer base, fierce competition from LCD TVs, and ongoing financial losses from manufacturers. This has made manufacturers of OLED TV displays more cautious and instead invested in display OLEDs, which are typically produced in the same generation of 8.5 factories.
Summary
Overall, large-format OLED shipments will continue to grow in 2025, especially driven by the IT OLED market, where demand for monitors, laptops, and high-end tablets will be the main driver of growth. Although the growth rate of the OLED TV market is still slow, the application areas of OLED displays are expanding as technology advances and market demands change, and Korean and Chinese manufacturers are actively positioning themselves to gain a foothold in this emerging market.
