Flexible electronics, popularly known as flex circuits, are electronic circuits with irregular shapes, a result of bending, twisting, and conforming inorganic or organic flexible plastic substrates. These devices find applications in multiple industries, with businesses seeking demand for durable, portable, and lightweight electronic devices. Consequently, these superior properties generate a mammoth demand for wearable electronics and flexible displays. By taking these factors into consideration, Fortune Business Insights envisions the market valuation for flexible electronics to reach USD 70.97 billion by 2032.
Power of flexible printed batteries
The improved development of lightweight and compact electronic gadgets is now possible with the integration of flexible printed batteries. These batteries mark a groundbreaking innovation in energy storage technology. Wearable devices benefit significantly from flexible power sources as they offer improved energy density while dealing with strict guidelines for weight and size. Next-gen flexible electronics found tons of development by embracing flexible energy storage, which exhibits energy efficiency, improved form-factor, and addresses the requirement of designing compact gadgets.
Foldables to bring the new era of smartphones
Organic light-emitting diodes or OLEDs are in prime focus from businesses manufacturing electronic devices with displays. Foldable smartphones rise on the top in integrating OLED displays on flexible substrates fused with the incorporation of polymide for improved resilience. Foldable smartphones and tablets counter design hurdles with durable materials while maintaining their performance standards. Google, Huawei, OnePlus, Samsung, and a few other companies, create foldable smartphones with OLED screens. The unparalleled flexibility and visual output offered by OLEDs for other devices, such as smartwatches, smart glasses, and VR headsets, spark a paradigm transition in display technology.
Cutting-edge technology sets new standards for flexibility in electronics
Testing flexibility of screens has emerged new possibilities where screens can be rolled, folded, and curved. Applications in several electronic devices by allowing design flexibility showcase multiple usages of flexible electronics. Display, lighting, monitoring, sensing, and storage are a few use cases among a plethora of others that provide users with an upgraded experience. Data collection has become convenient through portable devices with sleek design and its malleability promises installation at unconventional spaces.
China vanguards with economically viable labour cost
China’s market size is enormous and fuels Asia Pacific to gain the foremost position, with a valuation of USD 13.45 billion attained in 2023. The automotive sector’s thriving growth in the region is favored by consumer’s preference for compact and portable devices. Labour costs are substantially lower, with the availability of skilled technicians contributing to the massive production of electronics. Consumer’s desire for alluring and aesthetically pleasing gadgets also adds a significant contribution to the region’s prominence.
Bright prospects for flexible electronics on the horizon
The flexible electronics industry is set to register a positive market outlook in the forthcoming years. The seismic shift in the sector toward powerful and compact devices is brought by state-of-the-art technology blended with improved applications. Industry giants are introducing advanced devices at affordable prices to gain a vast client pool. To exemplify, LiBEST launched its multi-structured flexible batteries for HMDs and AR glasses in January 2024. The AR glasses are now powered with a 1500 mAH capacity, and HMDs support expansion configurations for devices with high power output.
In another instance, HyPerStripes was unveiled by Würth Elektronik in November 2023 as a research project to develop limitless flexible PCBs for LED lighting and the healthcare sector that necessitates scaled-down electronic applications. The project was set to break the limitations of traditional cable wiring that can create hurdles for innovation, are material-intensive, and exorbitant.
These robust illustrations display that powerful compact devices are the next big thing in the market, and leading industry corporations are bound to inject funds to engineer electronic devices that will escalate flexible electronics to new heights.
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/flexible-electronics-market-109105
Author: Rushikesh Chattekari is a versatile content writer, blending his expertise in criticism with a passion for cinema and literature. He has embarked on a journey to engage readers across a spectrum of topics, from technology and business to finance and literature, with his unique storytelling approach.