Touch technology has made using electronic devices intuitive and easy, eliminating the need for external keyboards and mice. In recent years, projected capacitive panels have gained wider adoption in smartphones, tablets tablets , wearables, smart home devices, automotive displays and industrial control, replacing resistive versions. The latter type is pressure-activated and therefore more prone to wear and tear and does not detect multiple touch points.
With curved and foldable displays driving adoption, flexible capacitive touch panels are expected to be in demand in the coming years. In the smartphone sector, units with bendable touch displays have already been launched by makers, including Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, TCL CSOT and LG, and more devices are for release. This is a growing phone segment, with shipments forecast to reach about 70 million units by 2027, according to Statista.
In the future, flexible touch panels have potential applications in the automotive and healthcare sectors, according to Electricity and Magnetism, a website set up as a nonprofit project by young engineers. “Their potential to transform device designs, enhance user experience, and create new opportunities in various industries is immense. While we are already witnessing the initial stages of this revolution with foldable smartphones and rollable TVs, the full extent of the impact of flexible touchscreens is yet to be unveiled.”
The Brainy Insights has projected that flexible displays will reach $152.34 billion by 2033 from $14.28 billion in 2023. “The market for flexible displays will develop in response to consumers' increasing desire for smart appliances with touchscreen capabilities,” said the market research company. In terms of size, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to lead during this period, owing to its expanding electronics industry and the rising demand for smart gadgets.
Global touch panel market
Touch panels will continue to experience expansion, driven by the increasing adoption of flexible and foldable displays and the rising use of touch technology in commercial and industrial applications. This is according to Technavio in its latest report that said the touchscreen market would grow by $17.23 billion between 2023 and 2028 and realize a CAGR of 5.26 percent.
Shangpu Consulting, meanwhile, said that the touchscreen industry reached $15.25 billion in 2020 and $18.3 billion in 2023. Smartphones, tablet PCs and wearable devices accounted for over 80 percent of shipments worldwide.
Based on technology, capacitive types account for 90 percent of the touch panel market, a ratio that will continue to climb in the next one or two years. In China, this segment rose in value from $9.5 billion in 2020 to $11.11 billion in 2023, according to Shangpu Consulting.
Touchscreen production hub
In response to growing demand, the manufacturing industry for touch panels in China continues to expand, with more investment from domestic and international companies. The country is the world’s main production hub for this display component.
Shenzhen Touch-China, for instance, has allocated $208 million for a new factory in Fujian province. The facility will have eight fully automatic production lines for capacitive touch panels. Its first phase started mass manufacturing in mid-2023, enabling the supplier to realize an annual production value of $83.33 million.
China gathers hundreds of suppliers, with more than half found in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian specifically in the cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shantou and Xiamen. The rest are spread over inland areas such as Jiangxi, Sichuan and Shaanxi.
The key homegrown players in this field include Ofilm, Laibao, Holitech and Token Technology and the others are small and midsize companies.
Small to large touchscreens
Capacitive touch panels can be sourced in any size from Chinese manufacturers, but currently 5.5 to 14in units dominate their shipments.
These can also be supplied in custom specifications to suit intended applications, but commonly available products usually have up to 7H hardness and over 75 percent transparency. They can recognize and respond to 10 simultaneous points of contact, have a response time of less than 6ms and an operating temperature range of -30 to 80 C, and can last up to 50 million touches.
Companies such as Xiamen Mingcai offer capacitive touch panels in sizes of 3.5 to 32in and with an operating temperature of -30 to 120 C. Shenzhen Yuhua, meanwhile, has 8in units based on both capacitive and resistive technologies, and these products are for tablets, automotive GPS devices and medical equipment. It will adopt this combination in other sizes in upcoming product releases.
Components used in manufacturing capacitive touch panels, such as ITO glass, film, substrates, PCBs, interfaces, chips and adhesives, are sourced domestically or from suppliers in Japan, South Korea and the Taiwan region. Glass, film and chips account for about 70 percent of total costs. Overall, outlay for production inputs has been stable and will keep prices of capacitive touchscreen unchanged in the coming months.
Here are capacitive touch panels from verified suppliers on GlobalSources.com.
4.3in capacitive touch panel, 98.7x57.5mm viewing area
Company: Palm Technology (Taiwan) Co. Ltd
Palm offers a 4.3in capacitive touch panel, the TPC-043A09, with 98.7x57.5mm viewing area, more than 86 percent light transmission rate and up to five touch points. This touchscreen uses an FT5206 driver IC.
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
21.5in capacitive multitouch panel, >88 percent transparency
Company: Shenzhen Boxing World Technology Co. Ltd
Shenzhen Boxing’s PSC215GG0016 21.5in capacitive multitouch panel has more than 88 percent transparency and -10 to 60 C operating temperature. It measures 534x325.5mm and has a USB interface.
MOQ: 50 units
Lead time: 7 days
7in capacitive touch panel, 155.2x87.02mm viewing area
Company: Shenzhen Brilliant Crystal Technologic Co. Ltd
The CJP07001 7in capacitive touch panel from Shenzhen Brilliant has 6H surface hardness, 155.2x87.02mm viewing area and a USB-I2C interface. It has 3.3V operating voltage, ≥85 percent light transmission rate and -20 to 70 C operating temperature.
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 5 days
7in capacitive touch panel, 154.08x85.92mm viewing area
Company: Shenzhen Wu He Tian Cheng Technology Co. Ltd
From Shenzhen Wu He Tian, the W070PG07012 7in capacitive touch panel has 154.08x85.92mm viewing area, more than 3H surface hardness, ≥80 light transmission rate and -20 to 70 C operating temperature. It uses an FT5316DME driver IC and an I2C interface.
MOQ: 5 units
Lead time: 5 days
