MICRO LED TECHNOLOGY

• The basis of micro LED technology is sapphires. A sapphire can shine on its own forever.
• A microLED screen is filled with such small but strong light.
• The picture in a microLED screen is generated by several individual light-emitting diodes.
• Samsung, the pioneer in microLED technology explained in a video that a microLED is as small as cutting a centimetre of hair into 200 smaller pieces.

4. Benefits over other displays

• MicroLED displays are brighter, have better colour reproduction and provide better viewing angles.
• They make images appear as if they are painted on top of the device's glass and are quite a technological feat.
• Micro LEDs have limitless scalability, as they are resolution-free, bezel-free, ratio-free and even size-free.
• The screen can be freely resized in any form for practical usage.
• In addition to being self-emissive, MicroLEDs also individually produce red, green and blue colours without needing the same backlighting or colour filters as conventional displays.
• The electronics company is currently the world's most advanced manufacturer of displays and has been producing its version of micro LEDs for TVs.
• Samsung and LG Displays have evolved with brighter OLED panels over the last couple of years but microLED promises even greater luminance without panel degradation issues.
• Samsung has come up with MicroLED displays with up to 4, 000 nits of peak brightness, roughly double what the best OLED and LCD TVs are capable of right now.

5. Apple's new technology 

• Micro LED displays will be Apple's first screens designed and developed in-house.
• The tech company currently sources screens from Samsung, LG, Japan Display Inc., Sharp Corp. and BOE Technology Group Co.
• Apple's transition to the new displays could reduce its reliance on technology partners like Samsung and LG and replace Apple supplies with homegrown parts.
• The Cupertino-based company currently makes its M1 and M2 chips.
• It has dropped Intel's chips in its Mac computers to boost in-house designs and plans to do the same with key wireless components in its iPhones.
• Now, by making the displays on its own, Apple could be in a better position to customise its devices and keep a stronger control of its supply chain, thus reducing delays in product availability.

5.1. Apple working on this tech

• Apple started working on the tech in 2014 after purchasing startup LuxVue which pioneered microLED technology.
• The development of Apple's microLED screens was led by veteran executive Lynn Youngs within Apple's hardware engineering division in Apple.
• The company has started testing microLED displays on its Watch Ultra.

5.2. The challenges with the new displays

• Apple planned to transition to microLED screens as early as 2020. But the project languished due to high costs and technical challenges.
• Apple's 2024 target could potentially be extended to 2025. The company could also offer a limited supply of new devices to get the transition started.

5.3. When can we see it and in which products?

• The screens are expected to debut with the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024, but Apple eventually plans to bring the technology to its entire lineup of iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch devices.
• However, 9 to 5 mac reported that it could be a decade before we see it in a Mac as the technology is still so nascent and complicated. These transitions can take a long time.
• The iPhone had OLED screens six years before the iPad was expected to get them, 9 to 5 pointed.

For Prelims & Mains