Trendforce published a report predicting foldable shipments to grow 44% year-over-year in 2023. Rising sales will impact the market for foldable OLED smartphone hinges, which will reach $500 million.
Foldable smartphones shipped 12.8 million units last year, and Trendforce predicts that by 2023 there will be over 18.5 million units. Samsung has sold his 82% of all foldable devices in 2022 as other manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo and vivo sell their devices only in China and in limited quantities.
Foldable sales numbers are just a byproduct of Trendforce’s analysis, which focuses primarily on the hinge market. Currently, there are two types of hinges: teardrop type and U type. The former contains many complex parts and costs “several times” more than the latter. The analysis predicts that as folding models become more popular, manufacturers will look for cost-effective components, starting with hinges.
The overall hinge market is expected to reach $500 million, up 14.6% year-over-year. The main players are KH Vatech and S-connect, both of which supply Samsung with his U-shaped hinges. Brands with more complex hinges are working with manufacturers such as Amphenol and Asia Vital Components.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Oppo Find N2
Display manufacturers are also leveraging their know-how in foldable hinges. CSOT unveiled a “semi-set” production flow that integrates the OLED display into the required hinge, resulting in a one-piece component. This simplifies manufacturing and increases durability.
Smartphone users are most concerned about the center crease of the folding panel. Trendforce claimed Samsung knew about the issue, but he still uses a U-shaped single-axis hinge that results in a slight groove in the screen. That would help keep future Galaxy Z Fold devices priced lower, but a recent report claimed otherwise, so we still don’t know how things will turn out.
