Global Shipments of Wearable Devices to Grow 49.8% YoY to 39.1 M. Units in 2014: PIDA

With major global branded vendors continually launching wearable devices, global shipments of such products as smart watches, smart bands and smart glasses, are predicted to grow 49.8% year-on-year (YoY) to 39.1 million units in 2014, according to Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA), a Taiwan-based photonic industry and market research institute.

PIDA reports the rise of smart watches will surely drive demand for small-sized display panels of sub-2 inches and mid-to-high resolution, particularly rounds and rectangles, in the years ahead. Accordingly, PIDA added, AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting diode) will become the mainstream technology in the line, given that smart watches generally require thin, energy-saving and bendable displays. Such trend is evident from flagship models of smart watches launched by global major brands, including Samsung, LG, Sony, Asus, Motorola and Apple.

Apple Watch is a striking example of the emerging trend, being available in screen sizes of 1.3 and 1.5 inches, and adopts flexible AMOLED panels supplied by LG Display and sapphire substrate covers. PIDA notes that the product is also the world's first model using flexible displays on plastic substrates.

With the upcoming Apple Watch widely believed to drive growth of  the global market for smart watches in 2015, when more smaller players as Garmin, Epson and Xiaomi will likely join the  field to target niche segments, PIDA forecasts global sales to  further surge to 69.5 million units in the year for a 68.5% growth compared to 2014.

Meanwhile PIDA adds, LG's Gwatch R employs a round, 1.3-inch P-OLED (plastic organic LED) display, while Samsung's Gear S has a 2-inch, curved AMOLED display, with such new  models showing sub-2-inch display panels of advanced display technology to become a popular component.

Also notable is that wearable electronic devices will be increasingly part of Internet of Things, to further benefit not just display panel suppliers, but makers in photovoltaic, LEDs, optoelectronics, biomedical photonics and optical communication industries, emphasizes PIDA. (SC)