AUSTIN – The total e-paper display market will grow to 1.8 billion units and $9.6 billion in revenues by 2018, a CAGR of 41% for revenues and 64% for units, says DisplaySearch.

E-book displays currently account for the majority of e-paper revenues. Nearly all e-book devices currently in the market use E Ink’s electrophoretic display technology, with a small number – such as Fujitsu’s FLEPia – using cholesteric LCD technology. Other electrophoretic display suppliers, SiPix and Bridgestone, will also commercialize e-book displays, according to the research firm.

The number of e-book/e-textbook models went from one model in 2003-2004 to three in 2006, to about five in 2007. In 2009, the number of models jumped to about 20. The e-paper display market for e-books and e-textbooks (5" to 10") is forecast to grow from about 1 million units in 2008 to 77 million units in 2018.

Color e-book displays recently entered the market with Fujitsu’s 8" FLEPia e-book. Because of the high price and technical challenges, DisplaySearch forecasts color e-books will not reach high volumes before 2011.

Electrophoretic was the leading technology in 2008, and DisplaySearch forecasts the technology will continue to lead the e-paper display market growth for this forecast period, and reach $5.8 billion by 2018.

Bi-stable LCD was the second largest e-paper display technology by revenues in 2008, and is forecast to reach $2.5 billion by 2018.

MEMS display technology will expand from small-size mobile phone displays to color and medium-size e-book displays over the next few years.

Electrochromic displays are targeting low-cost, high-volume smart label and card display applications. DisplaySearch forecasts electrochromic will become the leading technology in terms of unit volume for e-paper displays by 2013.