A report released from DisplaySearch finds that total touchscreen module revenue will reach $13.4 billion in 2011, and nearly double in six years, reaching $23.9 billion by 2017, numbers driven mainly by the popularity of mobile phones and tablets.
"Touch screen penetration has rapidly increased in mobile phones, handheld games, game consoles, and tablet PC applications, which collectively will account for more than $10.5 billion in touch screen revenues this year," noted Jennifer Colegrove, vice president of emerging display technologies at DisplaySearch, in a statement. "In addition, we see strong touchscreen growth over the next several years driven by demand in larger display applications such as all-in-one PCs, notebook PCs and consumer gaming."
The report suggests that mobile phones are the major application for touch screens in terms of unit shipments, accounting for two-thirds of units shipped in 2010. DisplaySearch forecasts that 868 million touch screens will ship for mobile phone applications in 2011, up 68 percent year over year.
But tablets are increasingly driving touchscreen growth as well, accounting for 26 million units in 2010. DisplaySearch forecasts over 72 million touchscreens for tablet PCs in 2011, and over 100 million in 2012. Revenues for projected capacitive touch screens in tablet PCs are expected to grow by more than $1 billion in 2011.
DisplaySearch surveyed more than 190 suppliers of touch screen modules, controller ICs, ITO film and other components to produce the 2011 Touch Panel Market Analysis report.