Apple courts OLED expert away from LG
Apple has hired an OLED expert who was previously a senior researcher of the screen technology at LG Display.
Dr. Lee Jeung-jil has joined Apple, according to a report from OLED-info.com. During his time at LG, he was involved with printing technology research.
Apple has been rumored for years to switch to OLED screens, which promise thinner designs and better battery life. But to date the company has instead utilized LCD panels with in-plane switching technology for superior viewing angles.
Samsung showed off a flexible OLED display at this year's CES.
The company has shown interest in OLED behind the scenes in the form of patent applications. But Apple has not yet manufactured a product with an OLED panel.
In recent months, discussion of potential OLED panel use by Apple has died down, as the latest rumors instead peg the iPhone maker as a potential candidate for Sharp's IGZO displays. Sharp showcased its IGZO technology at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, boasting that its panels can have twice the resolution of a conventional LCD display with up to 90 percent power savings.
But Apple's chief rival, Samsung, remains a strong proponent of OLED display technology. At this year's CES, Samsung partnered with Microsoft to show off its new "Youm" flexible OLED displays, with one prototype Windows Phone device sporting a curved screen that wrapped around the edges of the device.
Dr. Lee Jeung-jil has joined Apple, according to a report from OLED-info.com. During his time at LG, he was involved with printing technology research.
Apple has been rumored for years to switch to OLED screens, which promise thinner designs and better battery life. But to date the company has instead utilized LCD panels with in-plane switching technology for superior viewing angles.
Samsung showed off a flexible OLED display at this year's CES.
The company has shown interest in OLED behind the scenes in the form of patent applications. But Apple has not yet manufactured a product with an OLED panel.
In recent months, discussion of potential OLED panel use by Apple has died down, as the latest rumors instead peg the iPhone maker as a potential candidate for Sharp's IGZO displays. Sharp showcased its IGZO technology at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, boasting that its panels can have twice the resolution of a conventional LCD display with up to 90 percent power savings.
But Apple's chief rival, Samsung, remains a strong proponent of OLED display technology. At this year's CES, Samsung partnered with Microsoft to show off its new "Youm" flexible OLED displays, with one prototype Windows Phone device sporting a curved screen that wrapped around the edges of the device.
Comments
I doubt if it means very much at this point. It costs Apple very little to continue to look at technologies like this, even if they're years from being ready for their product line.
"...
Jueng –jil (James) Lee--a former Research fellow from LG Display and a senior person in LG Display’s R&D effort to create a printed AMOLED TV. Prior to joining LG Display, Dr. Lee was responsible for development at Cambridge Display Technology (CDT, now Sumitomo), the leading developer of solution-based polymer based OLED material."
That said, just because he's an OLED expert doesn't mean Apple is making OLED displays. He could very likely have expertise in other areas of interest to Apple in regards to LCD manufacturing. They said he worked in printing. Well, that covers a lot of ground in terms of screens, touch panels or any such device with embedded electronics.
Huh?
Hardware Engineers (492 vacancies)
Software Engineers (575 vacancies)
Asymco tweeted this morning that Apple will provide $9 billion capital investment in 2013 to Toshiba Yokkaichi Memory (presumably NAND), Japan Display LCD and Sharp LCD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee
Bull. This guy isn't an engineer - he's a marketing expert. Apple doesn't employ engineers as they get everyone else to make stuff for them so they don't need any.
That said, just because he's an OLED expert doesn't mean Apple is making OLED displays. He could very likely have expertise in other areas of interest to Apple in regards to LCD manufacturing. They said he worked in printing. Well, that covers a lot of ground in terms of screens, touch panels or any such device with embedded electronics.
Eric the half
first you state that he is NOT an engineer, with the ludicrous claim that Apple dont employ them anyway, then you go on to say most likely he has expertise in other areas such as LCD manufacturing??? An expert in LCD manufacturing is rather odd for a marketing expert
Apple could very easily design and use OLEDs and not "make" a single one, as they do &have done with dozens/hundreds of other items.
A4, A5, A6, iPod, iPad, iMac, MacBook, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee
Bull. This guy isn't an engineer - he's a marketing expert. Apple doesn't employ engineers as they get everyone else to make stuff for them so they don't need any.
You missed the /s or it was just implied.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee
Bull. This guy isn't an engineer - he's a marketing expert. Apple doesn't employ engineers as they get everyone else to make stuff for them so they don't need any.
That said, just because he's an OLED expert doesn't mean Apple is making OLED displays. He could very likely have expertise in other areas of interest to Apple in regards to LCD manufacturing. They said he worked in printing. Well, that covers a lot of ground in terms of screens, touch panels or any such device with embedded electronics.
Cue one for most ignorant statement of the year award.
From PatentlyApple.com:
Quote:
According to news from Seoul's Jose Ilbo's online newspaper, Apple has recently recruited a former senior researcher at LG Display, Dr. Lee Jeung-jil, who was in charge of researching OLED printing technology. Prior to joining LG Display, Lee was a part of the P-OLED research at Cambridge Display Technology (now owned by Sumitomo). The report concludes that "By recruiting an OLED expert, Apple may be working to develop its own OLED display." The question that Apple may be working on OLED should be put into context. The fact is that Apple has been working on OLED since at least 2009 and in fact has just been granted a patent regarding OLED fabrication.
LG represents failure.
Apple has loads of patents on things they don't use and probably never will.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerk36
LG represents failure.
They are pretty much the largest maker of these panels. The others likely got out due to falling margins. If price didn't motivate people, you would have less of a chance of seeing LG in their current position.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee
Yes
Yes it was implied. I expected AI readers to get that by now. I've often talked about how many engineers Apple employs or how they spare 1,000 every summer for WWDC that developers can talk to first hand about their projects.
That's why I was surprised by the responses. I thought I may have missed some recent post or something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard69
on average OLEDs use more power than LCDs.
This is debatable. OLEDs lack of backlighting theoretically make an OLED screen more efficient than an LCD. The only studies that I have seen showing otherwise usually involve testing at maximum lumen output of the screen. In this scenario, you are comparing an LED screen at its minimum power consumption to an OLED screen at its maximum power consumption. Hardly a fair comparison if you ask me. Most users don't stare at a bright white screen all day, but instead, their screens are being used in the lower range of lumen output where OLED screens truly shine in power efficiency.
Quote:
Originally Posted by THT
Asymco tweeted this morning that Apple will provide $9 billion capital investment in 2013 to Toshiba Yokkaichi Memory (presumably NAND), Japan Display LCD and Sharp LCD.
Why doesnt Apple just buy out these companies
Quote:
Originally Posted by xtacee1990
Why doesnt Apple just buy out these companies
As consumers tastes change and technology moves on why would Apple want to be stuck with the factories? Their current strategy of letting others do the grunt work makes much more sense and allows them to be more nimble.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xtacee1990
Why doesnt Apple just buy out these companies
That doesn't coincide with what they've done in the past. Having the money to do so doesn't provide a business plan for integration or even mean it's a good idea. Local laws in foreign countries may further complicate things. If Apple is considered a US based company, are they allowed to directly own factories in X nation? The laws of that nation would apply. Apple seems to invest in a lot of infrastructure that is housed within the factories of manufacturing partners. This makes sense if these manufacturing partners cannot afford the upfront investment. Apple provides either equipment or funds earmarked for specific use. This means they can't necessarily be used to pay creditors in the case of a company like Sharp. They're relatively secure. It's not necessarily profitable or simple to just bring everything in house. The necessary audits alone might take thousands of hours and reveal incompatibilities. This is fairly safe route if Apple is confident they can get what they pay for.
Also if you look at their purchasing history, much of the time it has consisted of smaller and sometimes undervalued companies with talented teams.
And before LG, this guy worked at Samsung.
AI, again, leaving out juicy information that would make Apple look bad.
Tsk tsk.