Demand for TVs, laptops and tablets looks set to stay pretty weak this year, with rising memory costs adding extra pressure on both buyers and manufacturers.
According to market research firm Omdia, global TV shipments are expected to hit around 208 million units in 2025 - basically flat or slightly down compared to the previous year. Growth is projected at just 1% this year, and even by 2028-2029, annual growth is likely to stay very low, hovering around 1-1.7%. Omdia noted that while big-screen TVs (80 inches and above) are growing faster, the overall market is being held back by soft demand, especially in China.
The IT side - laptops and tablets - isn't looking much better. Ubi Research says OLED adoption in these devices is still quite limited. In 2025, OLED notebook shipments are expected to stay almost flat at about 10 million units, similar to last year. The reason? These products compete mainly on CPU, memory and storage performance, not just the screen. When memory prices shoot up, makers often have to dial back on display specs to keep the final price reasonable for consumers.
Memory costs have become a big headache lately. Analysts from TrendForce and Gartner point out that DRAM and SSD prices have surged sharply because of heavy demand from AI data centers. This is pushing up the bill-of-materials for PCs, with some forecasts showing mainstream laptop prices could rise by 15-40% if costs aren't absorbed. Counterpoint Research even reported memory prices jumping 80-90% quarter-over-quarter in early 2026 compared to late 2025 in some segments.
In its earnings call last year, Samsung Display was upfront about the challenges. They said rising memory prices and uncertain smartphone demand were putting real pressure on panel pricing, making 2025 feel tougher than usual. The company plans to fight back by improving production efficiency, developing unique technologies, and ramping up its new 8.6-generation IT OLED line this year. Samsung hopes this will help push OLED into more laptops, tablets and monitors, eventually boosting their revenue.
LG Display, on the other hand, is playing it safer. They told investors they're keeping a close eye on OLED potential in IT products, but right now there's not enough clear demand to commit to building a new 8.6-generation line. With so much uncertainty in the market, LG said they'll focus on getting the most out of their existing facilities and staying cost-competitive.
Overall, the next few years look sluggish for both TV and IT device markets. Omdia expects TV shipments to edge up only slightly to around 210-212 million units by 2029, while rising component costs could slow OLED rollout in laptops and tablets even more than expected.
