Apple Working With TSMC to Develop MicroLED Panels for Future Apple Watch and Augmented Reality Wearable Device

Apple has plans in place to develop MicroLED panels for both small-size and large-size devices, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) providing support for producing smaller form factor applications, which could include future Apple Watch models and AR wearables, according to DigiTimes senior analyst Luke Lin.

microled

Apple is working with TSMC to develop micro LED panels on silicon-based backplanes for use in the Apple Watch and an augmented reality (AR) wearable device, Lin noted.

MicroLED panels use different light-emitting compounds than the current OLED displays and should help to make future devices slimmer, brighter, and less power-hungry. Citing sources in the upstream supply chain, Lin claims Apple is preparing two sizes of MicroLED panel for small devices. They are said to include a 1.3 to 1.4-inch panel for future Apple Watch iterations and a 0.7 to 0.8-inch panel for an AR wearable device, potentially AR glasses.

Lin also believes Apple is working on developing large-size MicroLED panels on TFT-based backplates for use in products much larger than those in its current MacBook lineup, although he offered no specifics on what they might be.

Based on Lin's sources, the MicroLED panel destined for a future Apple Watch may enter mass production in the second half on 2018 or in 2019, which would suggest its use in Series 4 or 5 models. The large-size panel could see production in 2019 or later, while the panel for the AR device is yet to have a production schedule, according to the analyst.

The cost of the new MicroLED panels are said to be 400-600 percent higher than OLED panels used in the current Apple Watch. As such, Lin believes Apple will initially only use the MicroLED panel in future "top-of-the-line" versions of Apple Watch, although whether that refers specifically to iterations of the Apple Watch Edition remains unclear.

Apple is understood to own a manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, California, where it is designing and producing test samples of its own MicroLED displays, with a view to eventually replacing largely Samsung-made OLED displays currently used across its product range.

Apple's interest in the technology was revealed in its acquisition of MicroLED firm LuxVue back in 2014 and previous reports have also claimed Apple will introduce MicroLED technology in the Apple Watch first, with some rumors pointing to that happening as soon as this year.

However, Bloomberg believes that it will likely be a few years before Apple's MicroLED displays will appear in shipping products – perhaps two years for the Apple Watch and three to five years for the iPhone.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Vision Pro
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

fokmik Avatar
95 months ago
Since oled has burn-in issue...on glasses any tiny issue of that matter is seen..so microLED is the future for this and for anything, at least for the upcoming 20 years
[doublepost=1522751786][/doublepost]
I'm just so curious to see how much better this is compare to OLED.
it has no cons from oled or lcd...only pros
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kmanmx Avatar
95 months ago
I'm just so curious to see how much better this is compare to OLED.
Much. It does not rely on inorganic compounds which means several things:

1) No burn in issues
2) No life span issues (blue OLED pixels have a shorter life than red/green, which is an issue for obvious reasons)
3) No colour or brightness uniformity issues. There will be very slight variances in per-LED pixel brightness, but each individual microscopic LED will be individually controllable. In theory you could calibrate each LED with a +/- voltage offset to get perfect brightness and color uniforminity. In reality it will probably be completely unnecessary, as typical monitors offer 30% brightness differences across the panel, whereas each LED in a MicroLED display would have low single digit brightness variation.
4) You can go MUCH brighter with MicroLED. Think 5000 nits vs 1000 nits with OLED.
5) Resolution and panel size is just a function of the size of your MicroLED printing process. If you have a 10 meter printer, you can effectively print a single 10 meter screen. Of course the larger you go the more likely you are to print a dead pixel or duff circuitry, so there may still realistically be yield issues when you get too big.

However it is important to note MicroLED is not just one technology, it is an umberlla that encompasses many different display technologies, though all revolve around the core concept of microscopic inorganic LEDs. However, the MicroLED technology Apple are developing is very different to that being developed by Samsung, which is very different to what is being developed by Oculus..etc etc. To the end consumer they should all appear basically the same in terms of image quality, but look at the technologies by each manufacturer under the microscope and you would see they are all very different. It will be interesting to see which technology process is superior, in terms of cost, scalability, simplicity etc. It is similar in vain to how the fabrication process technologies for CPU's and SOC's varies quite significantly between TSMC, Global Foundries, Intel etc.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
95 months ago
Actual Apple TV confirmed?
I see zero benefit from apple rolling out an actual Television set at this point. I think the market has changed enough, that instead of supplying a device like a TV, they're better off providing content.

Margins on TVs are razor thin, and Apple has a reputation of being over-priced, so its to see them making a dent in that product category.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SuprUsrStan Avatar
95 months ago
Micro LED Macbook Pro? Bring it. My wallet is ready.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
95 months ago
I'm just so curious to see how much better this is compare to OLED.
These are some of the core Benefits with Micro-Led advancements over OLED: Once Micro LED reaches production on a mass level, I think it will be fairly significant.


* It can greatly improve battery power.
* It can eliminate the need for backlighting unlike traditional LCDs.
* It will allow for higher-resolution screens with improved color gamut than other display technology.
* Micro-LED provide two/three times the brightness of their OLED counterparts under the same power consumption.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BvizioN Avatar
95 months ago
I'm just so curious to see how much better this is compare to OLED.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)