Folding mobile phone panel shipments are expected to grow by 52% in 2023

In our newly updated Quarterly Foldable/Rollable Display Shipment and Technology Report, DSCC sees at least 37 different models from 10 different brands shipping in 2023. DSCC expects folding smartphones to grow by 45% to 18.6m in 2023

due to lower prices, better performance improvements and camera and screen improvements, and expects folding mobile phone panel shipments to rise by 52% to 23.2m. In 2023, more folding mobile phones will adopt polarizer-free technology (CoE), which can significantly improve display efficiency, reduce display thickness, and improve the durability of foldable display. Although CoE was first applied to folding panels by Samsung Display, in 2023, we expect that many products with upper and lower folding forms will use Chinese panel factories to provide non-polarizer solutions. At the same time, we expect the penetration rate of CoE solutions to increase from 24% in the folding display market in 2022 to 38% in 2023.

Another interesting finding is the Multi-Fold display (Z-type), which is technically easier to implement than rollable/scrollable phones that are popular in the consumer market. Multi-Folds can enable larger displays to enter the smartphone market and be compatible with better tablet performance. Chinese brands have also been pre-researching multi-fold products, which are expected to be launched in 2024.

Although the capacity base of the folding display market is not large enough, Chinese brands are trying to reduce prices and plan high-end and low-end models to cope with different consumer markets, while brands in emerging overseas markets are also actively planning folding mobile phone products. We believe that 2023 is a hot year for the folding market, especially for Chinese folding brands.