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Foldable Smartphones, Tablets and Notebooks to Reach 70m Units by 2023
August 12, 2019
 
DSCC released an update to their Foldable Displays report, sharply cutting their estimates of the foldable smartphone to 360K in 2019; DSCC and others had previously expected shipments of at least 1-2m. But the delayed release of the Fold and the Mate X to September caused a lower expectation.  DSCC is also forecasting that there will be foldable tablets and notebooks starting in 2020. They expect:
 

• Foldable display revenues to grow from $62M ($172 ASP) in 2019 to $8.4B ($159 ASP)  in 2023.
• The clamshell form factor is expected to drive volume from 2020 followed by in-folding and then outfolding product. The clamshell offers the most utility by being ~1/2 the size and still having the same screen size as today’s smartphones
• Samsung to lead in foldable smartphone penetration and maintain the highest share through the forecast by introducing the most products. 
• Samsung’s share will start at 70% in 2020 and drop to 42% 
• Huawei will be #2 until Apple enters the market which is forecasted to happen in 2022.
• The 7.x” will have the highest share each year except for 2020. It is a sweet spot for clamshell, in-folding and out-folding. The 6.x size will be #2 and the 13.x” used in both tablets and notebooks will be #3.

 Figure 1: 5-Year Forecast Foldable Display Products

Source: DSCC

​Samsung display is expected to be the leading supplier of foldables, BOE #2 followed by LGD and Royole.