Apple Watch's advanced AMOLED display far more costly than traditional screens - report
The flexible AMOLED display found in Apple's new smart watch is believed to be among the most-costly mobile device displays available, according to a new report, with the 1.5-inch units thought to cost more than half as much as the 4.7-inch LCD in the new iPhone 6.
The plastic-backed AMOLED display in the 42-millimeter Apple Watch is pegged at an approximate all-in cost of $27.41 per unit, market research firm NPD DisplaySearch said on Monday, compared to the $45 per unit estimate from IHS for the 4.7-inch Retina display in the iPhone 6. Both costs include the display itself, as well as touch modules, cover glass, and the labor needed to build the components.
Despite the high price, only $7.86 of the $27.41 total is said to come from the display itself. Most of the additional cost comes from the cover glass --?though it not clear whether sapphire is included in this calculation --?and the touch module.
"The plastic AMOLED offers design flexibility and is very rugged," NPD manufacturing research executive Charles Annis said in a release. Much of that flexibility stems from its significantly thinner profile -- 65 percent thinner and lighter than a traditional LCD, and 50 percent thinner and lighter than a glass-backed AMOLED display.
"Apple's choice of a plastic AMOLED as the display medium for its Watch reflects not only its strategy of emphasizing quality, but also suggests increasing confidence in flexible displays as an enabling technology for wearable computers," Annis added.
Apple's entry into the OLED supply chain is also likely to have a significant impact on shipments of smaller OLED displays. While shipments of OLED displays headed for smart watches have held steady at around 1 million per quarter for the last year, Apple alone is expected to consume some 8 million displays in the fourth quarter of 2014 as it gears up for the Apple Watch launch early next year.
The plastic-backed AMOLED display in the 42-millimeter Apple Watch is pegged at an approximate all-in cost of $27.41 per unit, market research firm NPD DisplaySearch said on Monday, compared to the $45 per unit estimate from IHS for the 4.7-inch Retina display in the iPhone 6. Both costs include the display itself, as well as touch modules, cover glass, and the labor needed to build the components.
Despite the high price, only $7.86 of the $27.41 total is said to come from the display itself. Most of the additional cost comes from the cover glass --?though it not clear whether sapphire is included in this calculation --?and the touch module.
"The plastic AMOLED offers design flexibility and is very rugged," NPD manufacturing research executive Charles Annis said in a release. Much of that flexibility stems from its significantly thinner profile -- 65 percent thinner and lighter than a traditional LCD, and 50 percent thinner and lighter than a glass-backed AMOLED display.
"Apple's choice of a plastic AMOLED as the display medium for its Watch reflects not only its strategy of emphasizing quality, but also suggests increasing confidence in flexible displays as an enabling technology for wearable computers," Annis added.
Apple's entry into the OLED supply chain is also likely to have a significant impact on shipments of smaller OLED displays. While shipments of OLED displays headed for smart watches have held steady at around 1 million per quarter for the last year, Apple alone is expected to consume some 8 million displays in the fourth quarter of 2014 as it gears up for the Apple Watch launch early next year.
Comments
I love my new iPhone 6 128 Space Gray. We just had a new Whole Foods store open in our town, and I can't wait to try out Apple Pay there and elsewhere—with my iPhone and with my Apple Watch.
Life is good.
Love it that Apple just keeps on doing what it does best: great design, great products, great ecosystem, all of which make our lives better.
One rather reliable index of Apple's escalating success is the escalating volume of its "detractors." Most likely paid shills, bottom feeders.
I took a look in a jewellers window at the various Tag Hauer's, Omega's - etc some of them are HUGE ugly things compared to the refined design of the AppleWatch, and all they do is keep time reasonably well.
AppleWatch will do and is so much more !
2) How can NPD DisplaySearch make this prediction down to the penny but then not be clear as to what they include in reference to the display components? :???:
I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I hate when that's not explained well. Too many people still see the word flexible in regards to a component and assume the device will be that way.
PS: I still have hope that Apple will go the more complex route of making a new core style every year which will allow the S-series complete SoC (and perhaps the sensor array packed around the ceramic inductive charging unit) to be replaceable for many years done the line with a standard size and interface design. I think this would give the best of both worlds for a "smart"-watch insofar that one can collect the yearly styles but have a modern "smart"-watch without losing most features. If you are spending thousands on a gold ?Watch every year then paying $150 for a the updated S-series SoC to be installed probably won't be an issue. I'm hoping that's why they decided to put everything into one chip and seal it with resin, which I hope has least an IP67 rating.
...As long as they don't show the home screen in promo shots. I'll be very surprised if most AI members don't find it unattractive and a distraction from the otherwise fashionable watch design itself. Fortunately that part is software which can always be changed.
It's definitely the part I find the least attractive. As for changing it, Apple tends to keep their "Home" designs for a very long time.
...As long as they don't show the home screen in promo shots. I'll be very surprised if most AI members don't find it unattractive and a distraction from the otherwise fashionable watch design itself. Fortunately that part is software which can always be changed.
I don't mind the home screen of apps shown in a planetary fashion.
I was reading an article on another tech site, they were showing screens of certain apps and functions of the Apple Watch, and they were comparing it to the Moto watch, and the Apple Watch display looked better in every instance. The Android watch display looked very simplistic, like it was made for five year olds. The Apple display was much more detailed, showing much more information in their apps. What was shown on one Apple screen took multiple screens on the Android watch, to display the same information.
The Apple watch is far more advanced than any of those Android watch gimmicks that have come along.
Who is supplying the screens? Is it SAMDUNG?
Either them or LoG.
That is why you will not see an AMOLED panel on an iPhone, iPad or anything else. The Koreans wish to charge a premium to Apple, since Apple won't let them copy.
...As long as they don't show the home screen in promo shots. I'll be very surprised if most AI members don't find it unattractive and a distraction from the otherwise fashionable watch design itself. Fortunately that part is software which can always be changed.
[image]
It's definitely the part I find the least attractive. As for changing it, Apple tends to keep their "Home" designs for a very long time.
Agreed - it just looks like miniature metro re-imagined with circular tiles, and too gaudy for an otherwise spectacular design. Certainly won't stop me from buying one though.
Slightly OT but I noticed on Instagram that some of Apple's designers are attending Paris Fashion Week. From one photo posted on Instagram it looks like they're traveling with Jony Ive and Marc Newson on Jony's private jet. And in another you can clearly see one of the designers wearing an Apple Watch. Clearly Apple is going to be positioning the Watch as a fashion item and I wouldn't be surprised if they're working on other fashion related wearables. I doubt they hired Marc Newson to design new MacBook Airs.
That guy doesn't look small and yet that watch seems very thick on his wrist.
PS: You can add an image to this forum without first uploading it to AI? I hadn't realized that before.
PS: I still have hope that Apple will go the more complex route of making a new core style every year which will allow the S-series complete SoC (and perhaps the sensor array packed around the ceramic inductive charging unit) to be replaceable for many years done the line with a standard size and interface design. I think this would give the best of both worlds for a "smart"-watch insofar that one can collect the yearly styles but have a modern "smart"-watch without losing most features. If you are spending thousands on a gold ?Watch every year then paying $150 for a the updated S-series SoC to be installed probably won't be an issue. I'm hoping that's why they decided to put everything into one chip and seal it with resin, which I hope has least an IP67 rating.
Agreed. Apple should include free upgrades every X years for the high end models and charge a fee to upgrade the internals of base models for everyone's that want to keep up with new features / software.
I have no proof, but NO NO NO WAY!.
http://news.oled-display.net/lg-display-plastic-amoled-apple-watch/
Doesn't look much thicker than some of the luxury watches I see guys wear.
Yes but good luck grabbing the image URL in safari in iOS 8 (doesn't seem to work with any website but Twitter).
No, LG
Every time I see these cost estimated I say BS, why because unless you actually buying the parts they are only guessing at the finally costs. Suppliers do not share the price apple is paying for their parts Apple could be paying 1/2 of their estimated costs for all they know. I seen estimated of things which I know the actual price and these companies are usually way off, and most time higher.
I more curious who the supplier is. I would suspect that Apple is not working with Samsung, but are other suppliers making this display today.