AU Optronics (AUO) has sent sample AMOLED panels to smartphone vendors and ODMs and plans to kick off volume production in 2012, according to the company.

AUO started development of AMOLED concurrently with Samsung Electronics in 2001 and was technologically capable of making such panels in 2002. Because adoption of AMOLED was minimal among small- to medium-sized panels, AUO later suspended AMOLED business plans for 1-2 years. Viewing that AMOLED has become an increasingly important trend in panel technological development, AUO has therefore resumed development.

However, AUO faces three challenges: Samsung has gained the global leading status in the application of AMOLED with the most patents; Taiwan's AMOLED supply chain has not developed soundly; and many China-based makers have aggressively stepped into AMOLED production, according to industry sources.

With support from the China government, BOE Technology has begun AMOLED production at 4.5G and 5.5G lines. Meanwhile, Sichuan CCD Display Technology has begun production at it 4.5G line, Visionox at 2.5G and 4.5G, Xiamen Tianma Micro-Electronics at 5.5G and Irico at two 4.5G lines, the sources indicated.