New Leader Emerges in the Smartphone Display Market

13:53 / 21.08.2026·15·Technology

A sharp shift has occurred in the long-standing balance of power in display manufacturing for the global smartphone market. According to ixbt.com, in the first half of 2026, China’s BOE seized outright leadership in mobile-device display shipments, overtaking Korean giant Samsung Display. This change shows how fierce competition has become in the global technology market and how significantly manufacturers in Asia have strengthened their positions. Ixbt.com reports .

Approximately 1.12 billion smartphone panels were shipped to the global market in the first six months of this year. This is 2.9% more than in the same period last year. The industry’s overall growth trend indicates that demand for next-generation mobile devices remains stable.

BOE’s Dominance in the Global Market

China’s BOE took first place in the first half of this year with a 25.2% market share. During the period, the company shipped nearly 280 million panels to the market, increasing its year-over-year growth rate by 7.1%. Experts attribute this success primarily to the growing share of products based on advanced technologies.

In particular, BOE’s shipments of flexible OLED displays grew significantly to 81.4 million units, up 14.6% from the same period last year. To accelerate growth further, the company launched a new OLED G8.6 production line. Medium-sized screens are now being mass-produced, while the mobile segment is undergoing pilot testing.

Samsung Display and CSOT Performance

Samsung Display, which had led this market for many years, fell to second place after shipping nearly 170 million panels. Nevertheless, the company recorded modest growth of 0.9%. Interestingly, Samsung’s production of flexible OLED screens rose 34.5% to nearly 120 million units. Strong iPhone sales were the main driver.

China’s other major player, CSOT, completed the top three. It captured a 13.4% market share, shipped nearly 150 million panels and increased its growth rate by 8.9%. a-Si liquid-crystal displays made the biggest contribution to CSOT’s success, but growth in this segment has begun to slow as the impact of expanding production capacity declines.