Global sales of small and midsized OLED displays doubled in the second quarter from a year earlier, data showed Monday, on the back of rising demand for smartphones.

According to the data compiled by IHS Markit, the market for flexible OLEDs that are 9 inches and below was estimated at $2 billion in the April-June period, rising sharply from $886 million posted a year earlier.
 

The displays sized 9 inches and below are usually applied on smartphones, tablet PCs, wearable devices and digital cameras.

OLED displays boast improved resolution as each pixel on the screen emits light, compared with LCD products, which need backlights. This difference allows OLED displays to express complete black and have superior contrast.

Industry watchers said the growth came as major tech giants, including Samsung Electronics Co., adopted flexible OLED displays on their flagship smartphones.

Samsung Display Co. accounted for 98.3 percent of the market for flexible OLED products in the second quarter. (Yonhap)