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In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies

2025-08-11

01
Overview of Screen Technology

◆ Basic structure of capacitive touch screen

In the evolution of touch screen technology, we have witnessed the competitive landscape from IPS, AMOLED, SLCD to OGS, while also witnessing the rise of In cell and n-cell technologies. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the three screen technologies of In Cell, On Cell, and OGS, we first need to analyze the basic structure of the screen. The structure of a capacitive touch screen is divided into three layers: the top layer is a glass cover plate, which is responsible for protecting the screen and transmitting tactile sensations; The middle layer is a capacitive touch layer, responsible for sensing and responding to touch signals; The bottom layer is the display panel, responsible for presenting images and colors.
In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 1

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 1

The capacitive touch layer is composed of an ITO touch film layer and an ITO substrate. The display panel consists of an upper substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a lower substrate from top to bottom. In the early days, frame pasting technology created a layer of air between the touch layer and the display panel, which affected the display effect. However, by using full lamination technology to eliminate this layer of air, the reflection problem of the screen has been significantly improved, making it more transparent when lit up and darker when turned off, eliminating the gray and white appearance.

Differences in Traditional Screen Structure

Traditional G/G and GFF screens both follow a similar structure: cover glass, touch layer, and display panel. But the difference in touch layer is the key to these two screens. Specifically, the structure of G/G and GFF screens is similar, with the main difference being the touch layer. The touch layer of G/G screens consists of one layer of ITO substrate and one layer of ITO touch film, while the touch layer of GFF screens consists of two layers of ITO substrate and two layers of ITO touch film (named ITO: X and ITO: Y respectively). Obviously, G/G screens have an advantage in thickness.

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 2

Comparison of Emerging Screen Technologies

Nowadays, OGS screens are favored by touch panel manufacturers, while In Cell and On Cell screens are highly regarded by display panel manufacturers such as Apple LG、 Samsung and Sharp, among others. Both of these screen structures have abandoned the traditional touch glass layer, thus achieving a thinner and lighter design. However, the key difference between the two lies in the integration position of the touch layer. Specifically, the OGS screen uses the same glass to achieve touch functionality; In Cell embeds the touch film layer into the display panel; On Cell places the touch film layer on top of the upper substrate. This difference affects screen design and performance.

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 3

02
Comparison of In Cell, On Cell, and OGS

◆ Display effect differences

OGS screens perform better than In Cell and On Cell in terms of transparency and visual effects. Therefore, although well-known brands such as Apple and Samsung use In Cell screens, their simple screen transparency and visual effects are not superior to some domestic phones that use OGS screens.
In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 4

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 4

◆ Lightweight and impact resistant

In terms of lightness and thinness, In Cell stands out with its lightweight and compact features. In Cell is the lightest and thinnest due to the integration of the touch layer into the display panel, which is also one of the reasons why iPhone can maintain its lightness and thinness even with a metal body. In contrast, OGS and On Cell are slightly inferior in terms of thinness. In terms of screen impact and drop resistance, On Cell performs the best, followed by OGS, while In Cell is relatively weaker. It is worth noting that OGS, by combining the cover glass with the touch layer, may weaken the strength of the glass during the processing, making the screen relatively fragile.

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 5

◆ Touch effect and technical complexity

OGS screens have higher sensitivity, while In Cell and On Cell interaction have lower sensitivity, but rely less on touch chips. High sensitivity may also bring problems, such as "screen jumping" phenomenon, which may be caused by fine dust, sweat or water vapor leading to misoperation of the touch screen. In contrast, in Cell screens directly integrate touch and liquid crystal layers, resulting in higher sensing noise and requiring specialized touch chips for filtering and correction. OGS and On Cell screens have relatively low dependence on touch chips.

In depth analysis of the differences between In Cell, On Cell, and OGS screen technologies 6

Production cost and yield rate

From a technical perspective, the technical complexity of In Cell and On Cell is higher than OGS, and the difficulty of production control also increases accordingly, leading to an increase in manufacturing costs. In terms of yield, the initial production yield of In Cell screens was relatively low, which affected the supply of iPhone 5. But with the continuous technological investment and process improvement of manufacturers, In Cell technology was once affected by low yield rates, and now the yield rate has increased, approaching On Cell and OGS.