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Apple has partnered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to develop “ultra-advanced” micro-OLED displays at a secret facility in Taiwan, according to a new report.
The news site Nikkei wants experience have reported that Apple has partnered with TSMC to develop micro-OLED displays for upcoming augmented reality devices. These components are built directly on chip wafers rather than on a glass substrate, resulting in thinner, smaller, and more energy-efficient displays. These slimmer micro-OLED displays are ideal for smaller devices like the smart glasses that Apple is rumored to be working on. The development progress of these micro-OLED displays is reportedly in the testing phase. According to the report, it will take some time before they are ready for mass production. According to current rumors, Apple plans to unveil the first AR glasses in 2023.
Apple & TSMC: Partnership is not new
These new displays would therefore be good candidates for Apple Glass. The partnership between TSMC and Apple is not new. Cupertino already has the chip manufacturer manufacture all A-series processors as well as the brand new M1. The source is quoted as saying:
Panel players are good at making screens bigger and bigger but when it comes to thin and light devices like AR glasses, you need a very small screen. Apple is working with TSMC to develop the technology because the chipmaker's expertise is in making things ultra-small and well while Apple is also leveraging the panel experts' know-how in display technologies.
In addition to working on Micro-OLED displays, Apple is also researching MicroLED technology, with test production lines for both display types. According to a June 2020 report, Apple has invested $330 million in a Taiwanese factory that is developing MicroLED displays for Apple Watch, iPads and MacBooks with supplier Epistar.
Employees are subject to strict confidentiality agreements
MicroLED, a separate technology from Micro-OLED, uses components that are smaller than those used in traditional LED lighting. These displays do not require backlight modules, so they can be thinner. They also offer high color contrast and can be used to make foldable or curved screens. According to Nikkei, Apple owns several unmarked white lab buildings in Taiwan's Longtan Science Park that focus on new display technologies, with the site within walking distance of TSMC's chip-packing and testing factory. Apple has also hired veterans from display maker AU Optoelectronics to work on Micro-OLED, but the employees are under strict nondisclosure agreements that even prohibit them from meeting friends or acquaintances who work in the tech industry. (Photo by monsitj / Bigstockphoto)
