Mobile Phone Display Shipments Reached a New High
DisplaySearch has released its quarterly mobile phone display shipmentsupdate, which revealed Q4'06 shipments of 297.6 million main displays and 67.9million sub-displays for a combined growth of 3% Q/Q and 7% Y/Y. Worldwidesubscriber penetration achieved over 36% in 2006, reaching over 2.3 billionsubscribers, up 23% Y/Y.
Total handset shipments topped 1.1 billion last year; unfortunately, shipmentgrowth did not translate into revenue growth for the display makers.
According to DisplaySearch Vice President Dale H. Maunu, "There mayfinally be some light at the end of the tunnel for mobile phone display makersas the ASP freefall that has plagued the industry for the past three yearsappears to be subsiding. We are expecting ASPs to be down by less than 10%during 2007, and by the end of the year revenue should climb withshipments."
In Q4'06, Samsung SDI's main display shipments grew to 52.0 million, anincrease of 9% Q/Q and 7% Y/Y, and their share was 17.5%, up 1.4% from theprevious quarter. Sharp was #2 with a 12.3% share up 0.2%. Sanyo Epson was #3,down 1.9% in market share. Results for the top five suppliers are shown in
Mobile Phone Main Display Shipments and Share bySupplier (millions)
|
Rank |
Supplier | Units |
Share |
Growth |
Growth (Y/Y) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
SDI |
52.0 |
17.5% |
9% |
7% |
|
2 |
Sharp |
36.5 |
12.3% |
2% |
47% |
|
3 |
Sanyo Epson |
34.1 |
11.5% |
-14% |
-1% |
|
4 |
Wintek |
33.8 |
11.4% |
26% |
19% |
|
5 |
TPO |
21.4 |
7.2% |
-24% |
-43% |
|
|
Others |
119.8 |
40.3% |
2% |
-12% |
|
|
Total |
297.6 |
100% |
1% |
9% |
Despite the record shipments and an average panel size increase of 3.7%, Y/Ydisplay revenues were only $2.8 billion, down 6% Q/Q and 10% Y/Y becauseASPs fell by 18% Y/Y. ASP reductions are beginning to moderate compared tothe Y/Y drop of 32% just one year ago. Revenue for mobile phone displays isforecast to decline again in Q1'07 to below $2.5 billion as shipments willfall due to seasonality before recovering in Q2'07.
The report reveals these details about the display suppliers:
- Samsung SDI was #1 in unit shipments and #2 in revenue.
- Sharp was #1 in revenue and #2 in shipments and was the only producer of LTPS sub-displays.
- Sanyo Epson was #3 in revenue and shipment with an 18.5% share of the a-Si shipments.
- Wintek was #1 in MSTN shipments, while achieving an 18.0% share of CSTN revenue.
- TPO was #3 in LTPS revenue and had a 9.3% share of CSTN shipments.
Mobile Phone Shipment Share and Growth by Handset Maker
|
Rank |
Set Maker |
Q3'06 Share |
Q4'06 Share |
Growth |
Growth (Y/Y) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Nokia |
32.0% |
34.9% |
3% |
3% |
|
2 |
Motorola |
19.8% |
21.0% |
1% |
3% |
|
3 |
Samsung |
10.7% |
10.3% |
0% |
0% |
|
4 |
Sony Ericsson |
7.5% |
8.8% |
1% |
3% |
|
5 |
LG |
6.6% |
5.3% |
-1% |
-1% |
|
6 |
Sharp |
1.2% |
1.1% |
0% |
0% |
|
|
Others |
22.1% |
18.6% |
-4% |
-8% |
|
|
Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
1% |
11% |
DisplaySearch says that it anticipates Q1'07 handset production to be down 10% Q/Q and 2% Y/Y. Handsetmakers purchased 2% fewer displays than they used in Q4'06 in preparation forreduced volume in Q1'07 as lead times still run 6 to 10 weeks for mobile phonedisplays.
- Nokia was #1 in MSTN, CSTN, a-Si and p-Si display purchases.
- Motorola's MOTOPHONE was the first mobile phone to use electrophoretic displays.
- Samsung was #1 in the purchase of OLED displays.
- Sony Ericsson was #3 in both GSM and WCDMA shipments.
- LG was #2 in CDMA shipments.
- Sharp was #4 in p-Si displays.
By technology, a-Si TFT LCD continues to dominate the market, and no changein the top technologies over the next two quarters is expected with LTPS stayingat #2, CSTN at #3, MSTN at #4 and OLED at #5. E-ink shipments to Motorola beganin 4Q'06, making its first appearance in this report.
Q4'06 Mobile Phone Display Revenue, Share and Growth byTechnology (US$ millions)
|
Technology |
Revenue |
Share |
Growth |
Growth (Y/Y) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
a-Si TFT LCD |
$1,402.6 |
49.4% |
-4% |
-11% |
|
LTPS TFT LCD |
$761.4 |
26.8% |
-8% |
21% |
|
CSTN |
$544.6 |
19.2% |
-6% |
-34% |
|
MSTN |
$117.7 |
4.1% |
-10% |
-13% |
|
OLED |
$7.4 |
0.3% |
-13% |
-37% |
|
E Ink |
$4.5 |
0.2% |
|
|
|
Total |
$2,838.3 |
100.0% |
-6% |
-10% |
The report details display shipments by 25 suppliers and display purchases by23 handset makers in terms of display technology, size, resolution, color, andASPs for eight-quarters. DisplaySearch uses the display purchases by the mobilephone handset makers to forecast sell-in on a quarterly basis."
Posted to the site on 26th March 2007