What are micro LED displays, and why is Apple shifting to it?

• Apple’s shift to microLED display technology is reportedly under process.
• Considered as the next big transition in display technology, microLEDs are self-illuminating diodes that have brighter and better colour reproduction than Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display technology.
• However, the complications and challenges with the new technology might delay Apple’s plans.

What is microLED display technology?

• The basis of microLED technology are 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.
• microLED is as small as cutting a centimetre of hair into 200 smaller pieces.
• Each of these microLEDs are semiconductors that receive electric signals.
• Once these microLEDs are gathered, they form a module. Several modules are then combined to form screens.

What are its benefits over other displays?

• MicroLED displays are brighter, have better colour reproduction and provide better viewing angles.
• MicroLEDs 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, according to Samsung.

What are the challenges with the new displays?

• Apple had planned to start the 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 the new devices to get the transition started.

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.
• These transitions can take a long time. The iPhone had OLED screens six years before the iPad was expected to get them.