DisplaySearch posted an interesting blog post, in which they say that following the release of the Samsung Galaxy Round and the LG G Flex smartphones, flexible displays may have finally reached critical mass. DisplaySearch estimates that new device with flexible OLEDs in various form factors will reach the market in 2014.
DisplaySearch further says that in the optimistic scenario, the flexible OLED market could grow as fast as 151% CAGR to exceed $20 billion in 2020. Several manufacturing technology issue still needs to be sorted out before this happens, but it is possible that innovations will continue to increase flexibility and lower costs.
Interestingly, if you check DisplaySearch's roadmap above, you see that they expect foldable devices to reach the market between 2016 and 2018. Samsung Electronics promised their first foldable device in 2015, and according to reports the company privately showed prototypes during CES 2014. I guess DisplaySearch do not believe SDC will be able to mass produce such displays next year.
In previous estimates, DisplaySearch estimated that by 2018, 40% of all smartphone displays will be flexible OLEDs. This was ultra optimistic and it seems that the company now lowered their forecasts considerably. LG Display recently said that the flexible OLED market will reach $41 billion in 2020 - more than double DisplaySearch's optimistic scenario. LGD based their numbers on IHS DisplayBank research.
