We review some recent developments in the industry of flat panel displays, based on the use of thin films of amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon. In particular, we show that the field of application of active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) is continuously expanding. In the Far East, AMLCD manufacturers are now competing for the TV-on-the-wall market, with displays measuring 40" in diagonal and over. AMLCDs are in the process of becoming the universal technology for displaying multimedia images (computer or video) on a flat panel. Low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology is also actively developed, for application to AMLCDs and also for the addressing of organic light emitting materials.