Apple is allegedly developing microLED technology in a secret facility in California and the latest update to this story is that the tech giant has applied for nearly 30 patents related to the technology on LG’s and Samsung’s home turf, Korea. In the not so distant future, Apple hopes to commercialize its own displays for its iPhones, iPads, and Macs. For the time being, this technology is being used in the Apple Watch.
With the Help of a Company it Acquired Back in 2014, Apple Has Managed to Acquire More Than 30 microLED Patents
Apple wants to keep Samsung and LG at bay, and that is what the microLED patents are for. LuxVue Technology, a microLED company that Apple acquired in 2014, was used as a proxy to apply for patents.
Needless to say, Apple chose Korea to apply for the microLED patents as it's Samsung and LG’s home territory, and the companies may consider using microLED panels for their smartphones in the near future.
Samsung had already introduced a 146-inch modular microLED TV at the CES 2018 trade show, which was dubbed ‘The Wall.’ Basically, the big wigs in the tech world want to be at the forefront of microLED development to discard OLED as soon as possible. MicroLED screens are a lot better than OLEDs because they are brighter, energy efficient, and don’t have burn-in issues.
Moreover, smartphone manufacturers want to have more control over the components that go into their smartphones. This also results in cost savings which consumers can enjoy in the form of reduced prices. Moreover, companies do not want to depend on other suppliers for integral components.
Currently, Samsung is leading the show, with some prototype demonstrations planned for the next month. Apple’s research is still confined to their labs right now and it may take some time before the technology is ready to be commercialized.
If you want to know a comprehensive comparison and similarities between microLED and OLED technology, you can check out all the information here.
News Source: The Korea Herald
