Apple has reportedly downsized its R&D team for development of micro LED display products in Longtan, northern Taiwan, due to issues related to mass transfer of micro LED chips onto receiver substrates, according to sources from Taiwan's upstream LED suppliers.
The slow progress in the development of the mass transfer technology is believed to impede related panel makers from realizing volume production of micro LED panels in the short term, and therefore persuading Apple to realign the personnel of the micro LED team, said the sources.
Apple formed the micro LED team after it acquired US-based LuxVue Technology in 2014. LuxVue is engaged in development of low-power micro LED-based displays. Apple did not officially confirm the acquisition of LuxVue.
However, the downsizing was not meant that Apple has delayed or gave up the development of related micro LED technology, said the sources, adding that it could mean that Apple has shifted the R&D focus back the US as the initial phase of the research project being carried out at LuxVue has been completed.
Since micro LED offers greater brightness, higher contrast ratio, and much faster response time, and there is a possibility for micro LED displays to replace OLED ones, Apple will continue to develop related micro LED display technology for smart wearable devices and AR/VR applications, the sources added.
Against this backdrop, Apple is reportedly collaborating with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to develop applications based on silicon-based backplanes (silicon wafers) aiming to sidestep the bottleneck that entails with the mass transfer of LED chips, indicated the sources.
Apple is said to downsize its micro LED R&D team in Taiwan.
Photo: Digitimes file photo
