Rumor: Apple developing power-efficient micro-LED panels for 2017 Apple Watch
While this year's Apple Watch upgrade is expected to feature largely the same OLED display as its predecessor, the wearable smartwatch could see a major overhaul next year, with Apple said to be investigating micro LED technology for a future model.
Citing its usual Taiwan-based supply chain sources, DigiTimes reported on Friday that Apple could replace OLED displays in the Apple Watch with micro-LED panels as early as the second half of 2017. It also added that Apple apparently set up a laboratory for micro-LED research and development in northern Taiwan in April of 2015.
With sizes from just one micron to 100 microns, production of micro-LED panels is currently more expensive than OLED panels, which themselves are more costly than the LCD displays Apple uses in most of its products, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook lineups.
Friday's report was scant on details beyond that, but it is based in some truth: Apple acquired micro-LED display maker LuxVue in May of 2014.
Currently, Apple relies on third-party vendors for screens in its devices, including major rivals like Samsung. The acquisition of LuxVue was seen as a potential sign that Apple could bring development of new display technology in-house, rather than relying on outside suppliers.
It should be noted that DigiTimes has an unreliable track record in predicting Apple's future product plans. Though the publication does occasionally provide accurate information from Apple's supply chain, it frequently gets both timing and features wrong on upcoming products.
But Apple's purchase of LuxVue and its power-sipping display technology would have perhaps the greatest benefit in the Apple Watch, where energy efficiency is crucial. And so the pursuit of micro-LED specifically for use in a next-generation wearable would make some logical sense.
Display experts familiar with micro-LED technology said in 2015 that they believe the technology is a suitable successor for OLED, and they viewed the Apple Watch as a good candidate to utilize micro-LED displays. Apple currently uses OLED technology for the Apple Watch display, which helps to extend the device's battery life. It is Apple's first device with an OLED display.
Micro-LED technology is not currently in any shipping consumer products, and it's currently difficult to build display panels of any meaningful size, so it's possible that rumors of a 2017 launch could be too ambitious. But if Apple does manage to find a breakthrough with micro-LED, it could become the first company to introduce micro-LED to the masses.
Citing its usual Taiwan-based supply chain sources, DigiTimes reported on Friday that Apple could replace OLED displays in the Apple Watch with micro-LED panels as early as the second half of 2017. It also added that Apple apparently set up a laboratory for micro-LED research and development in northern Taiwan in April of 2015.
With sizes from just one micron to 100 microns, production of micro-LED panels is currently more expensive than OLED panels, which themselves are more costly than the LCD displays Apple uses in most of its products, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook lineups.
Friday's report was scant on details beyond that, but it is based in some truth: Apple acquired micro-LED display maker LuxVue in May of 2014.
Currently, Apple relies on third-party vendors for screens in its devices, including major rivals like Samsung. The acquisition of LuxVue was seen as a potential sign that Apple could bring development of new display technology in-house, rather than relying on outside suppliers.
It should be noted that DigiTimes has an unreliable track record in predicting Apple's future product plans. Though the publication does occasionally provide accurate information from Apple's supply chain, it frequently gets both timing and features wrong on upcoming products.
But Apple's purchase of LuxVue and its power-sipping display technology would have perhaps the greatest benefit in the Apple Watch, where energy efficiency is crucial. And so the pursuit of micro-LED specifically for use in a next-generation wearable would make some logical sense.
Display experts familiar with micro-LED technology said in 2015 that they believe the technology is a suitable successor for OLED, and they viewed the Apple Watch as a good candidate to utilize micro-LED displays. Apple currently uses OLED technology for the Apple Watch display, which helps to extend the device's battery life. It is Apple's first device with an OLED display.
Micro-LED technology is not currently in any shipping consumer products, and it's currently difficult to build display panels of any meaningful size, so it's possible that rumors of a 2017 launch could be too ambitious. But if Apple does manage to find a breakthrough with micro-LED, it could become the first company to introduce micro-LED to the masses.
Comments
Apple has had three blocks at the bare minimum; lack of compelling new GPU's, lack of adequate CPU upgrades, and the wait for Thunderbolt 3. As it stands right now the remaining block is GPU's; they'll have to choose between a Fiji part or waiting a hair longer for a Polaris or Vega-derived solution.
So sure, you can continue to rage like a child, or you can educate yourself.
I've been reading that Apple is working on a massive upgrade to the phone for 2017, marking the 10th year the phone has been available. If that's true, then I can imagine that Apple is doing its usual under the hood improvements rather than making a serious case change which would again change the next year. So, if true, it makes sense.
I can't agree with that. In the past, Apple has upgraded its machines as often as 4 times a year, whenever a slightly faster PPC chip came out. Then, with Intel, it was twice a year. There's no excuse as to why the Mac Pro hasn't been upgraded since the late 2013 arrival of the "new" model. Intel has had several newer chip technologies arrive, and we've seen several generations of GPUs, as well as faster RAM and NAND.
I'd like to know what technical issues you're talking about.
Thats nonsense! The entire industry has upgraded, and you say there's no real upgrades to these parts? Nuts! A double the performance Mac Pro could have been out already,mis Apple really wanted it to.
I'm concerned that they simply aren't interested. They just discontinued their display, stating that there are plenty of good third party displays to use. This is what they say when discontinuing product lines. They've pro-consumered some of their high end software too. Are they pushing us Mac Pro users to an iMac? I surely hope not. If they don't have a new model by the end of this year, I'm going to get very worried they won't ever have a new model. I hate to say so, but more and more Mac Pro users are moving to Windows. You won't want to believe that, but go to the pro video editing forums.
If Apple had launched a new model in 2015, then another update this year with Thunderbolt 3, people would have whined about how their computer was already obsolete. With certain crowds, Apple is damned either way.
and youre full of shit anyway, the iphone has an annual update and is always packed with new things. aka, innovation. often more so in the S models than the non.
youre just pissy because it doesnt look different, which for some reason youve linked to your personal identity. its a tool. new power tools look just like old power tools. new cars often look like last year's car, but still have improvements.