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Apple expected to rely on Korean suppliers for microLED transition

By Cookie Monster - on 26 Apr 2023, 1:00am

Apple expected to rely on Korean suppliers for microLED transition

The 2024 Apple Watch Ultra is expected to be the first Apple product to ship with a microLED display.

Despite Apple's renewed push to develop its own components, it is likely to continue sourcing displays from Korean companies in the near term according to The Korea Herald. 

Quoting a report by the Institute for Information and Communications Technology Promotion (IITP), The Korea Herald says Apple is accelerating the use of in-house components such as chips and displays in the iPhones to maintain its dominance. 

However, the report claims Apple will continue to source at least 60% of its components from Korean display suppliers for the next few years while it continues the development of its own microLED technology.

Based on the IITP's estimates, Apple could take some time to completely commercialise its own microLED technology as the production cost is significantly higher than that of existing smartwatch panels. Therefore, Apple might outsource display production to Korean suppliers.

Apple is tipped to debut microLED on the Apple Watch Ultra in 2024 before bringing it to the iPhone a few years later. Bloomberg expects the switch to microLED for the iPad and Mac to take even longer due to the complexity of the new display technology.

Source: The Korea Herald

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