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Apple has purchased LuxVue Technology, a company that develops low-power microLED-based displays, reports TechCrunch, citing sources with knowledge of the acquisition. Micro-LEDs have the potential to improve battery life while offering brighter screens than competing technologies.

luxvue.jpg

Little is known about LuxVue, which appears to operate largely under the radar. The company appears to create LED displays that use little energy for use in various consumer electronic products. Back in December of 2013, LuxVue raised $25.2 million in funding for to pursue its micro-LED technology. The company has also filed several patents on micro-LEDs, and one of LuxVue's investors said the company had "a technical breakthrough in displays."

LuxVue's VP of technology, Kapil Sakariya, has ties to Apple, having previously worked as a Display Architect and iPhone Operations and Procurement Manager at Apple. Sakariya was employed at Apple from July of 2006 until November of 2011, when he joined LuxVue.

According to TechCrunch, Apple has made the acquisition to add to its hardware innovations area, which the company has been aiming to bolster in recent years to bring more of its production in-house. Last year, Apple acquired low-power wireless chip provider Passif Semiconductor and is said to be in talks to acquire Renesas SP Drivers, a division of Renesas Electronics that develops chips for smartphone displays.

Update: Apple has seemingly confirmed the purchase to TechCrunch, issuing its usual statement for such circumstances: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Article Link: Apple Acquires Low-Power Display Company LuxVue Technology
 

chrmjenkins

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2007
5,325
158
MD
Going off the patent abstracts, looks like they're patenting the methods that make production of these devices on a usable scale feasible. Generally smaller is easier, so I assume iWatch would be first and iPhone next.
 

kpkp

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2012
39
5
bolster in recent years to bring more of its production in-house
I do not think production is the adequate word, since they outsourcer that most of the time. It's just research, they want more patents :p
 

iSteve-O

macrumors regular
Oct 2, 2011
233
57
Looks like the iWatch will have 1.5" micro led and eventually move to 2.0" after 6 years. :rolleyes:
 

thekeyring

macrumors 68040
Jan 5, 2012
3,485
2,147
London
Starting to think the iWatch will launch Spring 2015. As that portion of the year is currently empty of launches, if you go by the current release cycles.

What, then, is the "new category" of product that Tim promised this year? An Apple TV?
 

RoccoFan

macrumors regular
Aug 12, 2008
101
22
Yes Yes Yes

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about!! Make the things people care about better. Make my battery last longer. Make my picture taking better. Give me better noise reduction and clearer calls. Make it so that I can store ALL of my media on one device without needing the cloud.

In short, truly make a better device that doesn't seem like all I'm paying for is a name. Because that ish can't last and Samsung isn't just sitting on its hands.

Heart rate? REM cycle? Who cares?
 

chrmjenkins

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2007
5,325
158
MD
I do not think production is the adequate word, since they outsourcer that most of the time. It's just research, they want more patents :p

They bought what was essentially a startup still going through its rounds of funding and progress towards a consumable product. Apple must have seen immense promise in the technology they had and wanted to buy it for two reasons. The first is that under Apple, this company would have essentially a limitless R&D budget and their top guys wouldn't be concerned with wooing investors anymore. Second is that it keeps the technology out of the hands of their competitors.

The path forward would be for them to figure out how to produce it reliably and then contract a display company to make it for them.
 
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Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
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Space The Only Frontier
They bought what was essentially a startup still going through its rounds of funding and progress towards a consumable product. Apple must have saw immense promise in the technology they had and wanted to buy it for two reasons. The first is that under Apple, this company would have essentially a limitless R&D budget and their top guys wouldn't be concerned with wooing investors anymore. Second is that it keeps the technology out of the hands of their competitors.

The path forward would be for them to figure out how to produce it reliably and then contract a display company to make it for them.

Apple should buy their own display fab company.
 

wizard

macrumors 68040
May 29, 2003
3,854
571
Yes, but I think we are talking about significantly smaller screens. This would be potential iWatch tech. Doubtful it is for the iPhone.

I'm thinking even smaller screens like you might find in the view finder of a high quality electronic camera.
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
"Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

This statement template is getting old, but at least apple is confirming.

Hope they can use this company to produce lcd for iphone that could have battery that last a whole day :D
 

wizard

macrumors 68040
May 29, 2003
3,854
571
Apple should buy their own display fab company.

That might be hard to justify. In this case it really depends upon just how new and different this technology is. If the production techniques require all new tooling they could do construction of these devices anywhere.

----------

This statement template is getting old, but at least apple is confirming.

Hope they can use this company to produce lcd for iphone that could have battery that last a whole day :D

The articles says this is LED tech.
 

TXCherokee

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2012
338
180
Heart rate? REM cycle? Who cares?

Actually, I care. But I don't care about having a 128GB iPhone. Personally, I like the cloud concept and prefer to have my (and my family's) devices in sync.

My point being that you shouldn't dismiss something just because of your preferences.
 

GeneralChang

macrumors 68000
Dec 2, 2013
1,671
1,501
This statement template is getting old, but at least apple is confirming.

Hope they can use this company to produce lcd for iphone that could have battery that last a whole day :D

The battery on my 5s lasts about two and a half days under my normal use cycle.

Not saying I wouldn’t like them to implement this tech in the iPhone to get even longer battery life (a cell phone that lasts a full week on a charge? That’s blasphemy! That’s… well, was actually pretty common in 2007). But I am saying your one-day of battery claim is extremely foreign to me.
 

rp2011

macrumors 68020
Oct 12, 2010
2,319
2,626
A couple of months ago Apple bought a 55% share of display chip maker Renesas SP Drivers. Seems they are methodically taking display tech in house.
 

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
What, then, is the "new category" of product that Tim promised this year? An Apple TV?

Probably or a different-sized variant of an existing product (like different sized screens in iPhones). Yes, that's not new "categories" unless you want to spin it that way.

Personally, I'm finding it hard to imagine the iWatch idea being a genuine next big thing on par with iPhone or iPad. I think a watch is begging for significant design variations because it's toward jewelry where tastes vary widely. I'm having a hard time imagining millions of people all wanting to wear the exact same design watch.

I hope it's a red herring, along with the rumored Apple Television and they are instead going to roll something entirely different out.
 
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