TSMC is reportedly developing micro OLED displays that will be used in future Apple Glass.
According to Nikkei , Apple has partnered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to develop “ultra-advanced” micro OLED displays at a secret facility in Taiwan. Micro OLED displays will be used in the company’s “next augmented reality devices”.
Micro OLED displays are built directly on wafers rather than a glass substrate, which results in thinner , smaller, and more energy-efficient displays . These displays are ideal for smaller devices like the much rumored Apple Glass.
The report reports that the development of the micro OLED displays is in the test production stage and it will take several years before Apple and TSMC are ready for mass production. Additionally, Nikkei says the displays that are currently in the works are less than one inch in size , and this is where the TSMC experience comes into play.
Apple already collaborates with TSMC on all A-series chips used on the iPhone and iPad and the new M1 chips used in the Mac range.
“Display manufacturers 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,” said a source who has direct information on the research project and micro OLED development. “Apple is partnering with TSMC to develop the technology because the chip maker’s expertise is making things super small and good, while Apple is also leveraging the know-how of panel experts on display technologies.”

In addition to working on micro OLED displays in Taiwan factories, Apple is also exploring microLED technology , with test-to-work production lines for both types of displays.
MicroLED, separate technology from the micro OLED, uses smaller components than those used in traditional LED displays. These displays do not require backlight modules, so they can be thinner. In addition, they offer high colour contrast and can be used to make folding or curved screens.
According to Nikkei, Apple has several secret labs in Taiwan’s Longtan Science Park that focus on new display technologies. The company has hired veterans of display maker AU Optoelectronics to work on the micro OLED, and employees are subject to strict nondisclosure agreements that prohibit them “even from meeting friends or acquaintances working in the tech industry.”
Apple’s investments in micro OLED and microLED aim to reduce its reliance on Samsung Electronics. The latter, in fact, is Apple’s main supplier for OLED displays used in current iPhones.

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