Samsung Display maintained its leading legacy in the smartphone OLED panel industry during the first quarter of this year, but unfortunately, not in the foldable OLED market. Let’s take a closer look at the report.
A new report from market research firm Counterpoint Research revealed that Samsung led the smartphone OLED panel market in the first quarter of this year. But its Chinese rival, BOE, has defeated it in the foldable OLED sector, where the company pioneered the market.
According to the new report, OLED panel sales in Q1 2025 increased by 2% compared to the same period last year. Noticeably, OLED smartphones, which account for the largest portion of sales, saw a 1% increase in shipments compared to Q1 2024, but sales stagnated at the previous year’s level.
Samsung secured the top position in the flexible and rigid OLED markets, but it is being chased by LG Display and BOE in the OLED supply chain for iPhone. In particular, BOE’s share in this sector is growing rapidly.
Early this year, BOE overshadowed Samsung Display and secured a leading position in the foldable panel market, a segment previously dominated by Samsung. Although the Korean tech giant regained its lead in Q2 2025, primarily due to starting mass production of panels earlier for its upcoming ‘Galaxy Z series’ release on July 9 at the Galaxy Unpacked event.
Ultimately, after all the ups & downs, the overall OLED market is currently facing challenges, with sales growth being limited despite an increase in shipments. Whereas OLED panel shipments are projected to grow by 4% year-on-year this year, the Average Selling Price (ASP) is expected to remain constant at the previous year’s level, hinting at a tough environment for revenue growth.
A researcher at Counterpoint, David Naranjo, analyzed, “A gradual recovery is expected in the second half of the year as new foldable and flagship products are released ahead of the year-end shopping season.”
