Apple rumored to have ordered small batch of Micro LED screens for testing

A supply chain report suggests that Apple is already looking beyond OLED for future products, with the company said to be taking steps for trial production of Micro LED screens in the second half of 2017.

A report on Wednesday from DigiTimes, citing sources in the supply chain, reports that a small batch of micro LED screens will be produced in Taoyuan, Taiwan for evaluation for future inclusion in Apple products.

Allegedly, the initiative is spearheaded by personnel and technologies gained from Apple's acquisition of LuxVue in May 2014. The company was rumored to be behind display technology used in Google Glass, and held the patent for a touch display that incorporates sensing technology embedded in a device's screen before it was transferred to Apple.

DigiTimes does generally provide accurate information from within Apple's supply chain, but has a poor track record for predicting Apple's future product plans.

Micro LED screens promise greater contrast, faster response times, and lower energy use as compared to LCD screens. The technology is oriented towards watch displays, and smartphones.

The first batch of chips is said to implement chip bonding onto a TFT substrate.

The technology was first developed in 2000. So far, technological issues in production have held up mass production and commercialization of the technology.

22 Comments

gatorguy 24627 comments · 13 Years

About 7 years ago

Perhaps they could order thru Tony Fadell.

melgross 33622 comments · 20 Years

I really hope this works out. I don't like OLED. It's always seemed to be a stepping point beyond LCD, but without major advantages, and well behind other technologies that can replace it, if costs and manufacturing yields become good enough.

microLED seems to one technology that needs enough money behind it to overcome these problems. If Apple is throwing that money in, then I've got hopes for it. If they think the ongoing R&D costs are too high, they will abandon it. That's what they do. I hope they see through to the end with these tests.

melgross said:

I really hope this works out. I don't like OLED. It's always seemed to be a stepping point beyond LCD, but without major advantages, and well behind other technologies that can replace it, if costs and manufacturing yields become good enough.

microLED seems to one technology that needs enough money behind it to overcome these problems. If Apple is throwing that money in, then I've got hopes for it. If they think the ongoing R&D costs are too high, they will abandon it. That's what they do. I hope they see through to the end with these tests.

There's a dozen or so companies involved with micro-LED development and it's being pumped as the next big thing for smartphone displays as well as watches and other wearables, HUD's, computer monitors, even TV's. Give it three years or so and I think you'll see it relatively common with several consumer devices using it.

macgui 2471 comments · 17 Years

AppleInsider said:

Micro LED screens promise greater contrast, faster response times, and lower energy use as compared to LCD screens. The technology is oriented towards watch displays, and smartphones.

These are all good benefits, especially the lower energy use. OLED is very competent in all but energy use. I can't imagine how much better micro LED would be in image quality. I look forward to seeing them.

But what I'd really like to see is a brighter display, or one much more legible in bright sunlight. My S2's display looks great in any light but most outdoor daylight and especially bright sunlight. It's legible but just barely. At over twice the nits of other Watches, it doesn't look like twice the brightness, and it's definitely washed out in daylight.

My abandoned Pebble's crude, ugly display was at least instantly legible in bright sunlight. Sucked everywhere else though.

Soli 9981 comments · 9 Years

melgross said:

I really hope this works out. I don't like OLED. It's always seemed to be a stepping point beyond LCD, but without major advantages, and well behind other technologies that can replace it, if costs and manufacturing yields become good enough.

microLED seems to one technology that needs enough money behind it to overcome these problems. If Apple is throwing that money in, then I've got hopes for it. If they think the ongoing R&D costs are too high, they will abandon it. That's what they do. I hope they see through to the end with these tests.

Do you think the Apple Watch would've been better served with an LCD?