Context: Telecom giant Apple is reportedly working on a new display technology called microLEDs, which is considered the next big thing in the display industry.

• The micro LEDs are self-illuminating diodes. Their colour production and illumination are brighter than organic LEDs. Their energy consumption is less compared to normal LEDs. Apple is planning to use micro LEDs in its future watch models.

What is a micro LED display?

• It is a flat-panel display. Its pixel elements are made of microscopic LEDs.

• The main advantage of micro-LED display is greater control of pixel-level light control

• The lifetime of micro LEDs is greater than the OLED (Organic LED)

• Higher brightness at reduced risk of screen burning.

The technology behind it

• A microLED is as small as cutting a centimetre of hair into 200 smaller pieces.

• Each of these micro LEDs is a semiconductor that receives electric signals. Once these micro LEDs are gathered, they form a module. Several modules are then combined to form screens.

Benefits

• Brighter screens with better colour reproduction and viewing angles.

• Limitless scalability, as microLED displays are resolution-free, bezel-free, ratio-free, and even size-free.

• The ability to freely resize the screen in any form for practical usage.

• Self-emissive microLEDs that individually produce red, green, and blue colours without needing backlighting or colour filters.

Challenges

• Manufacturing Complexity: The process of manufacturing microLEDs is highly complex, and it requires precise control over many variables to produce high-quality displays.

• Cost: The cost of manufacturing microLED displays is currently very high, and it may take some time for the technology to become affordable enough for widespread adoption.

• Power Consumption: MicroLEDs require a lot of power to operate, which can make them less energy-efficient than other display technologies.

Road Ahead

• MicroLED display technology is considered the next big transition in display technology, and Apple’s shift to it could bring several benefits, including better control over its supply chain and product availability.

• However, the transition might be delayed due to high costs and technical challenges, and it could take a while before we see the technology in all Apple devices.