Success of flat panel displays hinged on smartphones, tablets

Demand for larger screens, higher resolution, and advanced touch functionality on smartphones and mobile PCs, in particular tablet PCs, will boost small/medium flat panel display market revenue to $71.5 billion by 2016, up 100% year-over-year, according to the NPD DisplaySearch.

Competition among top smartphone brands has driven flat panel display (FPD) makers to produce more high-grade technologies, such as AMOLED displays for Samsung's Galaxy S and retina displays for Apple's iPhone.

"The majority of demand for active matrix flat panel display (AMFPD) technology is coming from smartphone manufacturers, and other smart devices with similar functionalities, such as tablet PCs," said NPD VP Hiroshi Hayase. "Panel makers have started to take notice of this lucrative market as consumer demand for high-end technology outpaces any major concerns over cost, paving the way for a more competitive landscape over the next few years."

Samsung Display secured the top spot among small-medium AMFPD makers in 2012, being the only company to successfully mass-produce AMOLED technology. Ranked behind Samsung are Japan Display, Sharp, and LG Display, which all increased their revenue share by producing TFT LCDs with high resolutions and wide viewing angles for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. Unlike Samsung with AMOLED, these companies have had to share the growth in TFT LCDs.