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That iPhone or iPad of your is responsible for a multi-billion dollar industry. Both Apple devices created and fueled the growth of a touch screen display market worth $13.4 billion – a 90 percent jump from 2010.

Touch screen module revenue will nearly double to $23.9 billion by 2017, much of it in the capacitive area, such as the iPhone or iPad. “Projected capacitive growth has been explosive since being popularized by Apple in 2007, and many tablet PC manufacturers have adopted it,” announced hardware analysis firm DisplaySearch. Capacitive touch screen shipments will grow by more than 100 percent compared to the previous year, accounting for 70 percent of all touch screens, the company estimates.

Mobile phone touch screens, such as the iPhone’s, accounted for two-thirds of touch screens in 2010. That percentage will likely be higher this year as DisplaySearch expects a 68 percent increase in phone-based screens.
Unsurprisingly, tablets represent the fastest-growing sector for touch screens. More than 72 million tablet-based touch screens will be manufactured in 2011, a dramatic rise from 26 million units in 2010. Growth of touch screens targeting tablets will top the 100 million mark in 2012.
“We see strong touch-screen growth over the next several years driven by demand in larger display applications such as all-in-one PCs, notebook PCs, and consumer gaming,” DisplaySearch vp Jennifer Colegrove said.