Apple tends to get a lot of credit for releasing gadgets with solid specs, sleek design, and excellent build quality. But the company actually outsources a lot of its components. For example, Apple tends to tap rivals like Samsung or LG for its displays.

Now Bloomberg reports Apple is developing its own display technology in-house, and the company isn’t just looking to reduce its reliance on other companies. Apple is looking to make screens that are different than anything else on the market.

They’re likely to show up first in Apple Watches… if they reach the market at all.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on “next-generation MicroLED screens” that “use different light-emitting compounds than the current OLED displays.”

The goal is to build screens that are thinner, brighter, and more energy-efficient (which could lead to thinner designs and longer battery life for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearables).

MicroLED displays are also expected to offer high contrast ratios, quick response times.

Bloomberg’s sources say that it’ll probably be at least a few years before the new displays are ready for prime time, and if the technology ever sees the light of day at all, the first device to ship with an Apple MicroLED display will likely be an Apple Watch.

But it’s also possible that Apple will decide to pull the plug on the project if it can’t perfect the technology, which is said to be harder to produce than existing OLED displays.

Apple has apparently had its eye on the MicroLED space for a while: the company acquired MicroLED maker LuxVue in 2014 and received a patent for LuxVue-related technology last year.

Apple isn’t the only company working onMmicroLED displays. Samsung showed off a 146-inch 4K TV with MicroLED display panels at CES earlier this year, but so far there are no commercially available devices with MicroLED displays.

 

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,547 other subscribers

2 replies on “Report: Apple developing MicroLED display tech for thinner, brighter, more efficient gadgets”

  1. This is so idiotic, it’s been known for at least a year that Apple is working on microLED and if anything, Apple is likely to have dialed down their efforts in this area recently.
    And ofc now we know that Samsung is about to ship microLED in TVs, it might explain why Apple is giving up on trying to develop in house.

Comments are closed.