Like rumors about it Apple’s Augmented Reality Efforts continue to heat up, a new report claims that Apple has partnered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to develop and manufacture advanced micro OLED displays for use in a future AR headset.
According to Nikkei AsiaApple deepens its relationship with TSMC – the manufacturer responsible for manufacturing the A-series and M-series chips used in new iPhones and Macs – to produce micro OLED displays designed for use in AR devices.
A source of information about Apple’s micro-OLED efforts told Nikkei Asia that the reason Apple chose TSMC over a traditional display manufacturer like Samsung or LG is because “pAnel players 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. Apple is partnering with TSMC to develop the technology as the chipmaker’s expertise makes things ultra-small and good, while Apple also leverages the know-how of panel experts in display technologies. “
It It appears that TSMC will use some of its existing chip manufacturing to start early production on these displays, as it works to build additional production lines with Apple, which has a research lab in Taoyuan, Taiwan (just minutes away from TSMC’s advanced chip packaging and testing facility).
Nikkei Asia’s source claims that Apple’s micro OLED project has now reached the production stage of the trial, with full mass production still a few years away. This would suggest that despite rumors that Apple could release some sort of AR headset in late 2021 or 2202, Apple’s big push in AR / VR will not take place until 2023 or later.
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When it comes to AR devices, micro OLED is seen as one of the next big technological leaps from the OLED and LCD screens used in today’s devices. The big advantage of micro OLED is that diodes can be built directly on silicon wafers, instead of requiring an extra glass or plastic substrate, which results in a reduced thickness and increased energy efficiency.
However, it appears that Apple is still trying to determine its final forms ultimate AR headset. R.ecent reports claims Apple is testing multiple designs for separate AR and VR glasses, with the latter possibly featuring two 8K displays.
But before Apple can release a headset to the masses, it must first figure out its technology, which appears to be exactly what Apple is doing by strengthening its partnership with TSMC.