Just a few days ago, Frank Lee, the spokesperson for LG Electronics announced to the media that the Korean company will start mass production of flexible displays by this year’s fourth quarter. The company plans on releasing their first flexible display smartphone to consumers before 2014.
LG’s announcement of smartphones enabled with the technology is sure to have an explosive effect on the Global Flexible Display Market, since the high demand for flexible displays in mobile devices is one of the most significant drivers behind the market’s forecasted CAGR of 45.4 percent.
The technology’s near approaching release date is also sure to come as a surprise to many-especially since many people expected Samsung, to be the trailblazer for the market after they showed off a tablet-like device with a wraparound flexible display at the Consumer Electronic Association on January 11, 2013.
But, even if LG is the first to offer this technology to the public on a mass commercial scale, will this be enough to secure and most importantly, maintain a lead in the Global Flexible Display Market? Although a head start is always advantageous, the answer is ”probably not”.
Now let’s clarify-this is not to say that LG doesn’t have a chance at dominating the market if they play their cards right. But, in a world as intensely competitive as the electronics industry the key to long term success will not be getting out of the gates first. Rather, it is absolutely crucial that LG, and other key players; Samsung; Plastic Logic; E Ink Holdings; and Philips, be on the cutting edge of market trends and end-user buying criteria if they want to lead in flexible displays.
Paul Cain,from Plastic Logic, a key-player in the market and leader in innovative plastic electronics, believes that in the long run, the real game changer in the market will be expanding flexible technology beyond screens:
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”The development of other complementary flexible components will broaden the range of viable product designs and open up new methods of interaction with flexible display products. This applies not only to more conventional components, such as flexible batteries and circuit boards, but also to new components enabled by flexible electronics, such as flexible finger print and optical sensors, that when combined with flexible displays offer truly revolutionary ways to interact with display devices.”
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Of course, it’s unlikely that we’ll see an entirely flexible device like this will be on the market for at least a few years and with the impending release of the first flexible display smartphone on the horizon, vendors are going to need to find other ways to ”up the ante” in the meantime. This is where the basic buying criteria of all electronics comes into play:
#1. Compatibility
#2. Reliability
#3. Cost
#4. Performance
In short, it comes down to business basics: end-users want the best product or service for the best price and until the first wave of flexible display smartphones and other devices are released for mass consumption, it’s impossible to know which vendor will best satisfy this equation.
What we do know, is the race in the Global Flexible Display Market has officially begun, and we can’t wait to see who comes out with the crown title.
For more information, view our 2012-2016 report on the Global Flexible Displays Market.
