Apple Watch Could Get MicroLED Display in 3 to 4 Years [Report]
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Posted August 10, 2020 at 3:38pm by iClarified
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.