Micro-LED chips are at least 100 times smaller than the components used in LED lighting products and one production method involves fabricating them directly on wafers. For the project, Apple is partnering with suppliers like ams-Osram for micro-LED components, LG Display for the substrates -- also called backplates -- and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. for 12-inch wafers.
Apple's micro-LED technology is still at the sample stage, and the company plans to introduce the screen technology on its Apple Watch first, with a tentative target to have the technology ready by 2025, five people said. However, there are still many challenges for mass production, they added.
"Apple's ultimate plan is to introduce the technologies on its iPhone, which is its key revenue source and has much bigger volume, to justify the investments over the years," said one of the sources who has seen samples of the company's micro-LED screen.
Eric Chiou, a veteran display analyst at research agency TrendForce, said micro-LED chips are extremely small, so it is possible to further integrate the display with sensors to provide features such as fingerprint recognition or health-related sensing functions on wearable products like smartwatches. Micro-LED technologies can also be used on foldable smartphones, he added.
asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Supply-Chain/...reliance-on-Samsung
Apple's micro-LED technology is still at the sample stage, and the company plans to introduce the screen technology on its Apple Watch first, with a tentative target to have the technology ready by 2025, five people said. However, there are still many challenges for mass production, they added.
"Apple's ultimate plan is to introduce the technologies on its iPhone, which is its key revenue source and has much bigger volume, to justify the investments over the years," said one of the sources who has seen samples of the company's micro-LED screen.
Eric Chiou, a veteran display analyst at research agency TrendForce, said micro-LED chips are extremely small, so it is possible to further integrate the display with sensors to provide features such as fingerprint recognition or health-related sensing functions on wearable products like smartwatches. Micro-LED technologies can also be used on foldable smartphones, he added.
asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Supply-Chain/...reliance-on-Samsung