According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on an in-house microLED display that will eventually be used in the Apple iPhone and Apple Watch. These screens may start being used in devices as soon as 2024.
At this point, Apple’s displays are made by different vendors. The OLED panels that are used in the Apple iPhone 14s are made by Samsung, BOE, and LG. While Apple will be creating its new displays, it will still let other countries manufacture the display.
Also Read: What are MicroLED displays? How are they better than OLED or mini LED displays?
It is believed that Apple’s microLED screens will appear in the Apple Watch first, and may replace other devices following that. Apple has been working on this for over five years, and while this seems like a challenging goal, the company is confident that it will be able to do so.
It’s a similar move to the company using its own chip designs in laptops and desktops, ditching Intel and reaping massive performance and battery life benefits. The job of actually making those processors mainly falls to TSMC, but Apple has complete control over the design.
Apple is also currently working on ultra-thin microLED displays and micro OLED screens for the Apple AR headset.
Apart from creating its own displays, Apple is also planning on creating its own in-house chips that will replace Qualcomm chips. The brand is clearly trying to prioritise its own technologies and expertise in software to offer devices that are unique to the brand.