Thanks to strong demand for the Apple Watch, smartwatch display unit shipments are expected to soar this year growing by more than 250% year-over-year to reach a record level, according to a news report from IHS.
Smartwatch displays shipments are forecast to reach 34 million units in 2015 with the majority of the panels to consist of active-matrix organic light emitting diodes (AMOLEDs), the type used by both the Apple Watch and Samsung Gear. IHS forecasts that AMOLED panels will make up 58% of all smartwatch panels shipped this year. The Apple Watch alone is expected to account for 84% of the AMOLED panels, or about 49% of the total displays for smartwatches shipped in 2015, according to IHS.
Hiroshi Hayase, director of analysis and research for IHS, says in a statement that increased demand for smartwatches has come as a result of increased Apple Watch attention. But the display market is “carefully watching consumer response to products in the smartwatch category, which should help to improve future display technologies.”
The concern over smartwatches and their staying power has display manufacturers cautious about overshooting demand this year. Because of this, smartwatch display shipments are forecast to decline to 6.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2015, IHS says.
Questions or comments on this story? Contact dylan.mcgrath@ihs.com
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