“The double-digit increase in large-area TFT LCD panel area last year was mainly driven by increasing consumer demand for larger televisions, 4K TVs and high-end monitors,” said Yoonsung Chung, director of large area display research for IHS Technology, formerly DisplaySearch.

“The notebook PC market rebound, which began in Q2’14, also aided large-area display growth.”

Overall shipment area of 40"-and-larger panel sizes increased 34% in 2014, compared to the previous year. Notebook PC display unit shipments increased 8% Y/Y, and revenues grew 16% Y/Y; however, 9"-and-larger tablet LCD panels suffered from weaker demand, which slowed unit growth to 1% Y/Y and caused revenues to decline 6% Y/Y.

Panel makers are projecting similar TFT LCD shipment trends in 2015, with overall large-area display shipments expected to grow just 1% from 2014 and reach 729.5 million units. Revenue growth and area growth for this category, however, are forecast to grow 6% and 8%, respectively.

Total LCD TV panel shipments are expected to increase 3% in 2015, to reach 260.5 million units; shipment area will grow 8%, from 113 million square meters in 2014 to 123 million square meters in 2015. The importance of 4K in the TV market will continue in 2015, reaching more than 40 million units, 15% of total LCD TV unit shipments, which will more than double the market penetration from 2014.

Growth in notebook PC and mini-note panel shipments will be flat in 2015, reaching just 198 million units.

“Lackluster sales are forcing panel makers to begin upgrading to FHD and other high resolution formats and to adopt flat light guide plates in the backlight for ultra-slim panels, in hopes of raising profit margins,” Chung said.

IHS forecasts that 9"-and-larger TFT LCD tablet PC panel shipments will decline 11% Y/Y in 2015. The primary cause of this decline is that Samsung has started to use OLED panels for tablet PCs, which will negatively influence the overall TFT LCD market this year.

LCD monitor panel shipments are expected to grow 8% in 2015, to reach 168 million units. “Due to larger sizes, technology improvements, and low depreciation in old fabs, the profit margin for monitor panels was solid last year, which is leading panel makers to plan more monitor shipments this year,” Chung said.

Public display unit shipments grew 44% Y/Y in 2014, with the retreat of plasma display panels (PDPs) and stronger momentum for the digital signage category. IHS expects public display unit shipments to increase 7% in 2015.