More players entering OLED DDI market

Competition in the global handset display driver IC (DDI) for OLED panels, which had more or less been dominated by Samsung Electronics’ System LSI Division, is intensifying as more Chinese and Taiwanese companies are entering the race.

In 2019, Samsung had more than a 60% share of the world’s OLED DDI market, while Magna Chip had around 20%. Those manufactured from outside of Korea was only around 10%. These dynamics are expected to change in 2020.

Industry sources said on Mar. 2 said Taiwan’s Novatec has supplied DDI to Huawei smartphones, which were fitted with BOE’s OLED panels. China’s Everdisplay and Visionox are known to get their OLED DDIs from Taiwan’s Raydium Semiconductor to send to their clients. Other Chinese companies like Eswin and Yunyinggu also have begun small amounts of OLED DDI since the latter half of 2019.

Outside of China, Silicon Works, an LG Group fabless chipmaker, has been adding BOE to its list of DDI suppliers. US-based Synaptics has also entered the race to target Chinese clients.

Samsung Display is now diversifying its OLED DDI suppliers. Recently, it joined forces with South Korea’s AnaPass, which had been supplying DDIs in tandem with Samsung Display’s OLED panels.

Global foundry companies are also moving to produce DDIs for OLED panels. Taiwan’s UMC is one of them, along with SMIC, which plans to produce OLED DDIs with its 28nm and 40nm technology at its Beijing plant. HLMC also will produce DDIs, but with 55nm tech.

The Elec is South Korea’s No.1 tech news platform.