Corporate meeting rooms are entering the next phase of a long-running display transition, with LED forecast to become the dominant display format by value within four years, according to newly published research from Futuresource Consulting.
In a video briefing (available through registration) following the release of the firm’s latest global corporate professional displays report, Futuresource analysts Jeremy Wills and David Thompson outlined how corporate display technology has moved through three distinct phases over the past 15 years, first away from projection toward LCD flat panels, then into interactive displays, and now into a market increasingly shaped by direct-view LED.
From Projection to LCD – and now LED
“The big story for the past 10 to 15 years has been the decline of projection in favor of flat-panel displays,” said Thompson, Futuresource’s lead analyst for projection and corporate displays. “Ten years ago, most corporate meeting rooms would have used a projector as the default. Today, flat-panel LCD and increasingly interactive LCD has become the standard.”
That shift was driven by falling panel prices and the rise of software-centric collaboration platforms that favor flat displays over projection. Interactive whiteboarding, video conferencing, and unified communications tools accelerated demand for screens that support real-time collaboration rather than static presentation use.
LCD is no longer the sole technology shaping corporate spaces. Futuresource says LED is now disrupting the upper end of the market, particularly in larger meeting rooms, boardrooms, innovation spaces, and training environments where size, brightness, and lifespan increasingly outweigh upfront cost.
“LED is not just replacing flat panels. It is also starting to displace projection in larger meeting spaces,” Thompson said. “As LED pricing continues to come down, we expect it to become the most valuable display format in corporate by 2029.”
Technological advancements speed up LED adoption
The firm attributes LED’s expansion to falling production costs, longer operational life, lower energy consumption, and improved reliability. Advances in packaging technology, including chip-on-board LED today and chip-on-glass emerging later this decade, are also accelerating adoption by shrinking form factors and improving visual performance.
54 million meeting rooms worldwide – but not equally spread
Globally, Futuresource estimates there are approximately 54 million meeting rooms worldwide. Nearly two-thirds of those are located in the Asia-Pacific region, led by China and India. The Americas account for about 20 percent, while Europe, the Middle East, and Africa account for the remaining 13 percent.
That footprint is not growing evenly. Hybrid work has reshaped corporate real estate strategy, slowing the pace of new office deployments and lengthening technology replacement cycles in developed markets.
“Since COVID, it’s not about new offices opening,” Thompson said. “It’s about hybrid working models, which have slowed growth in demand. Companies aren’t eliminating meeting rooms, but they are being more selective in how they invest.”
Corporate display market worth US$6.6 billion, but growth is flat in many regions
From a revenue perspective, the global corporate display market is currently valued at approximately US$6.6 billion annually. Asia-Pacific accounts for just over half of that total. The Americas and EMEA each account for roughly a quarter and also represent the slowest-growth regions.
“We’re seeing stagnation in the U.S., China, and Western Europe,” Thompson said. “Growth is coming primarily from Asia outside of China, South America, and parts of the Middle East and Africa.”
Projection stays, but only for special use cases
Projection, once the backbone of corporate AV, now occupies a narrower role. While the global projection market still represents around US$4 billion annually, it is increasingly defined by specialized deployments rather than mainstream meeting room use.
Large meeting spaces in cost-sensitive regions such as India and Brazil continue to favor projection for its price-per-inch advantage. Projection is also retaining relevance in ultra-wide formats, high-brightness applications, and specialty visualization environments.
“Projection is no longer the default, but it still has a place,” Thompson said. “It is positioned at the high-brightness and large-format end of the market, and in developing regions where cost considerations remain dominant.”
Consumer TVs in Huddle spaces
Another trend highlighted by Futuresource is the increasing use of consumer televisions in small meeting rooms and huddle spaces. While professional displays remain the preferred option for enterprise deployments, budget-constrained organizations are occasionally selecting consumer hardware where durability and IT-grade features are not viewed as essential.
Economic uncertainty persists
Beyond technology shifts, the market is now facing growing uncertainty linked to tariffs and global trade policy. Although few direct impacts have occurred so far, Futuresource says manufacturers and ODMs are already reacting.
“What we’re seeing is uncertainty more than direct action,” Thompson said. “Brands are delaying manufacturing decisions because the picture keeps shifting. Even where tariffs are not applied, uncertainty alone is affecting planning.”
The firm also expects higher costs tied to materials, manufacturing, and logistics and believes those increases may be passed down the supply chain.
“The only thing that’s predictable right now is unpredictability,” Thompson added.
LED will become part of the infrastructure
Despite these headwinds, Futuresource says the long-term direction of the corporate display market is clear. LED is moving steadily from a premium option to an infrastructure layer, while LCD and projection are evolving into more specialized roles in hybrid workplaces.
For integrators, vendors, and enterprise buyers, the message is strategic rather than technical. Corporate display decisions are no longer driven solely by size or cost. They are increasingly shaped by lifecycle economics, energy efficiency, and the reality that the office itself is still evolving.
Image: PPDS