While Samsung Display has dominated the global supply of smartphone-use AMOLED panels, China-based EverDisplay Optronics (Shanghai), Tianma Micro-electronics and Kunshan Govisionox Optoelectronics have become alternative sources for first-tier China-based smartphone vendors, according to industry sources.

EverDisplay Optronics began trial production at a 4.5G AMOLED factory in 2014, becoming the first major China-based producer. Xiaomi Technology was unable to secure AMOLED panels for its Hongmi Pro from Samsung Display and shifted its reliance to EverDisplay in early 2016. EverDisplay's shipments increased from 200,000 AMOLED panels in the first quarter of 2016 to 580,000 units in the second and one million units in the third. Huawei Technologies has approached EverDisplay as an alternative AMOLED.

Tianma Micro-electronics and Kunshan Govisionox Optoelectronics have started volume production at 5.5G AMOLED factories mainly supplying ZTE. In the third quarter of 2016, the two makers together shipped more than 400,000 AMOLED panels to ZTE.

According to IHS Markit, Samsung Display shipped 99.7 million AMOLED panels globally in the third quarter of 2016, while the three China-based makers together shipped 1.41 million units, hiking 139% on quarter. Among China-based smartphone vendors, Vivo and Oppo will adopt the most AMOLED panels in 2016, accounting for 40% and 38.7% of all their smartphone-use panels, IHS noted.