It's Only Common Sense: Your Expertise Builds Your Brand
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: Revisiting 'The Popcorn Report'
TrendForce’s latest display industry research reports that memory supply shortages and rising prices continue to intensify cost pressures across the smartphone supply chain, affecting smartphone brands’ shipment plans for 2026. However, sustained demand from the secondary and repair markets is supporting stronger-than-expected smartphone panel demand.
TrendForce therefore forecasts global smartphone panel shipments at approximately 2.25 billion units in 2026, with the YoY decline narrowing to 2.5% from its previous projection.
TrendForce observes that smartphone panel demand is increasingly focused on two segments: AMOLED and a-Si LCD. AMOLED persists in expanding within the mid- and high-end markets, while a-Si LCD still holds a significant share due to its lower cost and demand from entry-level, mid-range, secondary, and repair sectors.
Conversely, the market for LTPS LCD panels in smartphones continues to decline, leading suppliers to gradually shift capacity toward automotive and IT uses. By 2026, LCD smartphone panels, including a-Si LCD and LTPS LCD, are expected to total about 1.33 billion units—roughly 59% of all shipments. AMOLED panels are projected to reach around 920 million units, making up the remaining 41%.
BOE maintains shipment lead in 2Q26 as TCL CSOT narrows market share gap with SDC
Global smartphone panel shipments fell slightly QoQ to approximately 560 million units in 2Q26. BOE remained the market leader, shipping approximately 146 million units and capturing a 26.1% market share. The company is supported by its diversified product portfolio spanning a-Si LCD, LTPS LCD, and AMOLED. While a-Si LCD shipments remained sizable on demand from smartphone brands as well as the secondary and repair markets, growing AMOLED adoption among smartphone brands provided additional support to BOE’s overall shipment performance.
Second-ranked SDC shipped approximately 90 million units in 2Q26, capturing a market share of around 16.1%. AMOLED accounts for the vast majority of its shipments, primarily serving Samsung’s own smartphone lineup and Apple’s iPhones. While rising memory and other component costs have made brands more cautious about inventory procurement for new Android models in 2026, AMOLED demand from Samsung and Apple’s mid-range, high-end, and flagship devices remains relatively stable, helping SDC maintain its overall shipment volume.
TCL CSOT ranked third with approximately 84 million units shipped in 2Q26, pushing its market share above 15% for the first time. A significant increase in LCD smartphone panel shipments from its T19 production line was the primary driver of its shipment growth during the quarter. Despite relatively weak demand in the new smartphone market, continued demand from the secondary and repair markets has supported LCD panel shipments, helping TCL CSOT expand its overall market share.
HKC ranked fourth in 2Q26 with a market share of around 13%, with a-Si LCD accounting for the majority of its shipments. Tianma ranked fifth with a market share of roughly 12.4%. Its portfolio spans both LCD and AMOLED products. In addition to maintaining supply to major smartphone brands, Tianma has increased the share of a-Si LCD products in its shipment mix in 2026, supporting its overall shipment performance.
