According to the latest data from Omdia's "Q2 2026 Database - Large-Area Display Market Tracker" report, shipments of large-area displays in the first half of 2026 (1H26) are projected to reach 466.1 million units, representing a year-over-year increase of 3%. However, panel manufacturers are maintaining a cautious stance regarding order volumes for the second half of 2026, with shipments forecast to be just 450.8 million units, a decline of 7% year-over-year. Omdia states that the anticipated growth in large-area display panel shipments in the first half of 2026 is primarily attributed to stable panel prices and brand manufacturers and OEMs building inventory ahead of schedule. Large-area display panels refer to flat panel display products with sizes between 10 and 130 inches (excluding Mini LED and Micro LED TV display products). This segment primarily encompasses four display technologies: OLED, amorphous silicon TFT (a-Si TFT), low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT (LTPS TFT), and oxide TFT. These display products are mainly used in desktop monitors, notebook PCs, televisions, tablets of 9 inches and above, public displays of 26 inches and above, and other display scenarios over 10 inches, such as industrial displays, military displays, home appliance interfaces, information kiosks, and ATMs.
Panel Price Stability and Procurement Strategies
Panel pricing has historically been a key driver for large-area display shipments, with significant price elasticity encouraging consumer electronics manufacturers to increase purchases. However, as the display industry matures and supply-demand dynamics stabilize, this price elasticity has recently diminished. Nevertheless, PC and TV brands and OEMs still consider panel prices a critical factor when adjusting the scale of their procurement orders. Even with subdued end-market sales, as long as panel prices remain stable without a significant risk of a sharp decline, panel buyers may still place relatively large orders with panel manufacturers. In other words, panel buyers typically adopt a strategy of "buying on dips" rather than making procurement decisions solely based on immediate end-demand. Panel prices in the first half of 2026 experienced minor fluctuations overall but remained relatively stable. After a significant drop to low levels in the second half of 2025, open-cell LCD TV panel prices saw a slight recovery in the first quarter of 2026; prices for LCDs used in monitors and notebook PCs remained stable, with monthly fluctuations contained within a 1%–2% range. This price stability was one of the important factors driving growth in shipments of large-area LCD and OLED panels.
Key Drivers for First-Half Growth
Memory shortages and persistently rising bill of materials (BOM) costs are placing significant pressure on sales performance in the PC and TV end-markets. Concurrently, global crude oil supply issues and rising Consumer Price Index (CPI) are expected to dampen consumer purchasing intent for PCs and TVs and further squeeze commercial enterprise budgets. Against this backdrop, PC and TV brands and OEMs have become more cautious in setting their full-year 2026 operational targets. However, Omdia believes the primary drivers for the growth, rather than a decline, in large-area display shipments in the first half of 2026 are as follows: Panel procurement activities in the first half of 2026 were not significantly impacted by memory shortage issues. On the contrary, panel buyers adopted the opposite strategy, securing large orders in advance and increasing panel inventory while prices remained stable to support the achievement of their annual business goals. For TV brands and OEMs, the second half of 2026 (2H26) will feature concentrated promotional activities and sporting events, necessitating the early build-up of open-cell LCD TV module inventory to meet subsequent demand. For PC brands and OEMs, facing supply bottlenecks and rising costs for memory and CPUs, securing panel resources with relatively lower prices and stable supply in advance has become a strategic choice. Furthermore, the concentration of new product launches in the first quarter of 2026 (1Q26) also required brands and OEMs to procure sufficient panel quantities in advance to ensure smooth production and entry of new products into retail channels. Additionally, particularly in the LCD TV segment, panel manufacturers are offering special rebates and market development funds (MDF) to TV brands and OEMs to encourage them to increase orders upon reaching specific procurement volume thresholds. Panel manufacturers maintain an average operating margin of approximately 10%–20% in the open-cell LCD TV business and, in some cases, support TV makers facing profitability pressure through rebates and MDF while securing stable orders from key customers.
Cautious Outlook and Shipment Decline Forecast for Second Half
Despite stable shipment performance for large-area displays in the first half of 2026, panel manufacturers are becoming increasingly conservative about the second half's prospects. Some panel makers even anticipate a "triple decline" in the second half of 2026, involving falling panel prices, declining capacity utilization rates, and decreasing shipment volumes.
Table 1: Large-Area Display Shipments (Million Units) (By Application)
LCD panel shipments are forecast to decline in the second half of 2026. Meanwhile, OLED panel shipments are expected to maintain a healthy growth trend, particularly in the monitor and notebook PC segments. As shown in Tables 2 and 3, OLED panel shipments continue to show strong year-over-year growth in 2026, while LCD panel shipment growth in the second half of 2026 is projected to be flat or even weak.
Table 2: Large-Area LCD Shipments (Million Units) (By Application)
Table 3: Large-Area OLED Shipments (Million Units) (By Application)
Growth in Screen Size and Total Shipment Area
The trend towards larger screen sizes in TV displays is expected to continue. The shipment area for large-area displays in the first half of 2026 is projected to reach 128.1 million square meters, a 5% year-over-year increase from 122.0 million square meters in the first half of 2025. However, the anticipated shipment decline in the second half of 2026 is also expected to impact the overall shipment area.
Table 4: Large-Area Display Shipment Area (Million Square Meters) (By Application)
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