There have been rumours that Apple wants to move to microLED displays (instead of OLED) for future Apple Watch models for a while, but this next-gen screen tech is years away from becoming an affordable reality. But a new Apple patent aims to hurry that along, potentially making microLED displays easier and cheaper to build.
Spotted by Apple Insider, the patent – named Micro light emitting diode testing – describes a way to test microLED panels as they're being built, which should mean that imperfections can be caught and remedied more quickly, and the production line is more reliable overall.
This would help bring the cost of the panels down in two ways: a) time is money is manufacturing, and testing as you go would save a lot of it; b) advanced electronics often have reliability issues during early production, which can mean a lot of unusable parts being built – easier testing means less wastage, which means lower cost.
But to misquote Hemingway, development on new technologies often goes gradually and then suddenly. Apple's patent could be something that helps push us towards the suddenly. The question is whether other manufacturers will be able to keep up, or whether this patent is a big advantage for Apple's manufacturing partners, keeping its products ahead of the game for microLED screen tech.
