Apple Watch Could Get MicroLED Display in 3 to 4 Years [Report]

Smartwatches like the Apple Watch will be the first major application for microLED display technology, according to a DigiTimes report.

Epistar Chairman Lee Biing-jye says volume adoption of microLED displays by smartwatches will take place in 3-4 years. The company is developing the microLED technology with glass substrates supplied by AU Optronics.

There are smartwatch vendors showing interest in adopting micro LED displays, Lee said, adding a smartwatch screen resolution of about 300 x 300 is equivalent to 300,000 micro LED chips, which can be mass transferred in one go.

Lee also said that it may take 4-5 years for TVs to adopt the display technology, noting that the company has overcome technological difficulties, such as mass transfer, and expects to achieve reliable production capability in 2-3 years. Epistar is now focused on improving yield rates and reducing cost for mass transfer.

Micro LEDs sized 20-50 microns are too small for PCB substrates that support minimum sizes of 50-100 microns, and therefore glass substrates are used, Lee indicated, adding that glass substrates needs complicated processing and many tests. Epistar is using glass substrates for mini LEDs, Lee noted.

More details in the full report linked below...

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