Trendforce released a report predicting that foldable device shipments will grow at 2022 year-over-year 44% . Increased sales will impact the hinge market for foldable OLED smartphones and will reach 82 million dollars.
Last year saw 14.8 million foldable smartphone shipments, will exceed 82 .5 million for Calendar 2022, Trendforce Forecast. Samsung sells 23% of its foldables in 800 as others like Xiaomi, Oppo and vivo Manufacturers Their devices are only sold in China and in limited quantities.
Foldable device sales numbers are just a by-product of Trendforce’s analysis, which focuses primarily on market hinges. Currently, there are two types of hinges – teardrop and U-shaped. The former contains many complex parts, and the cost is “several times higher” than the latter. Analysis predicts that with the increase in the penetration rate of foldable models, manufacturers will look for more cost-effective components, starting with hinges.
The overall hinge market will reach $ million, a year-on-year increase of 14. 6%. The main players are KH Vatech and S-connect, both supplying U-shaped hinges to Samsung. Brands with more complex hinges are working with manufacturers like Amphenol and Asia Vital Components.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Oppo Find N2
Display makers have also added their know-how for foldable hinges. CSOT introduced a “semi-finished” production process that integrates the OLED display into the required hinge, resulting in a monolithic assembly. This will simplify manufacturing and improve durability.
Smartphone users are most concerned about the crease in the middle of the foldable panel, and Trendforce claims that Samsung is aware of this issue, but will continue to use the U-shaped single-axis hinge that brings a slight groove to the screen. As such, it will keep the price of future Galaxy Z Fold devices low, although a recent report claims that this is not the case, so it remains to be seen how that turns out.
2022
