Research Report on China's Emerging Display Industry

Display technology refers to the use of electronic technology to provide flexible visual information. As an important part of the information industry, display technology is indispensable in electronic products such as televisions, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets. With the development of display materials, display technology has evolved from the initial cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology to flat-panel display (FPD) technology. Flat-panel displays have further developed into plasma display (PDP), liquid crystal display (LCD), and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technologies.

Based on technical characteristics, flat-panel display technology mainly includes plasma display (PDP), field emission display (FED), organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), and liquid crystal display (LCD). Emerging displays generally refer to high-generation OLED (organic light-emitting diode), AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode), Mini/Micro-LED, QLED (quantum-dot light-emitting diode), laser display, printed display, and other technologies.

Display technology has evolved from the early cathode ray tube (CRT) display technology to the current flat-panel display (FPD) technology. Flat-panel displays have further developed into technologies such as plasma display (PDP), liquid crystal display (LCD), and organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), bringing updates to electronic products. From the perspective of technological development, the evolution of display technology can be roughly divided into four stages.

• Stage One: In 1897, the world's first CRT was invented, achieving the conversion of electrical signals into light output. With improvements in technology and processes, CRT technology began industrialization in the 1950s, making black-and-white and color CRT televisions the most important display devices in daily life.
• Stage Two: Since the 1990s, plasma display technology and liquid crystal display technology have coexisted. After 2000, with the improvement of LCD technology, it surpassed plasma technology in terms of display quality, cost, and other aspects, leading to the gradual withdrawal of plasma displays from the market. Currently, LCD technology is the most mainstream display technology worldwide.
• Stage Three: With advancements in material technology, OLED technology emerged and achieved industrialization. Before 2006, OLED panels were mostly PMOLED panels, mainly used for small-sized display devices. In 2008, Nokia launched the first phone with an AMOLED display, followed by Sony and LG releasing small-sized OLED TVs. In 2010, Samsung heavily promoted AMOLED technology and widely used AMOLED panels in its high-end phones, marking substantial progress in OLED commercialization.
• Stage Four: With the advancement of OLED technology, its application began to extend to large-screen products such as televisions. In 2014, LG launched the world’s first 4K OLED TVs and in 2015 unveiled multiple OLED TV products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). In 2019, LG released the world’s first 8K OLED TV, marking a new stage in OLED technology application. In recent years, the rise of MiniLED, MicroLED, quantum dot displays, and laser display technology has brought unlimited opportunities for the development of the display industry, from technological innovation to diverse applications.