Apple Reportedly Investing Over $300M in New Taiwanese Factory to Produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED Displays

[MacRumors]

Apple plans to invest around NT$10 billion (US$334 million) towards the opening of a new factory at the Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan, according to a Chinese report in the Economic Daily News. English coverage is available at Focus Taiwan.

The report claims that Apple will use the factory to produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED displays for future devices, in partnership with Taiwan-based suppliers Epistar and AU Optronics. In March, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is planning at least six Mini-LED products for release by the end of 2021, including 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, an iMac Pro, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 10.2-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch ?iPad? mini.

Kuo has previously said that Mini-LED backlit displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while offering many of the same benefits of OLED displays used on the latest iPhones, including high contrast and dynamic range.

Apple already has a Mini-LED and Micro-LED research and development facility at the same research park, built in 2014.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Investing Over $300M in New Taiwanese Factory to Produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED Displays

 

[fokmik]

mini-led is nothing compared to the micro-led and how hard is to get those pixels down in dimensions to fit even an imac or macbook

 

[sublunar]

Interesting how the iMac Pro is mentioned but none of the non-Pro iMacs are mentioned (not even the supposedly forthcoming 23" panel) and yet the basic iPad and iPad mini are mentioned.

 

[Sasparilla]

Interesting how the iMac Pro is mentioned but none of the non-Pro iMacs are mentioned (not even the supposedly forthcoming 23" panel) and yet the basic iPad and iPad mini are mentioned.

Seems like they're standing up new tech for the display, so its just going to be in a few (somewhat smaller) items at first. The iMacs might get it down the line.

 

[sublunar]

Seems like they're standing up new tech for the display, so its just going to be in a few (somewhat smaller) items at first. The iMacs might get it down the line.

My thinking here is that the forthcoming (already complete) iMac update might be enough to see it through till October 2021. Suggests a very light update indeed - akin to the treatment that the Mac mini got perhaps?

 

[blast87]

Isn't OLED better than miniLED? Why aren't they investing in OLED

 

[Aston441]

Isn't OLED better than miniLED? Why aren't they investing in OLED

OLED is, always has been, and always will be garbage. You've been captured by marketing. You can still break free!

 

[Enfiteusis]

So the 14” MacBook Pro will apears at the end of 2021?

 

[Brian Clifford]

In-keeping with recent speculation on YouTube, Ming Chi Kuo's predictions about time-frames of new mini LED products suggests to me that an all-new 16" ARM MacBook Pro is some time away yet.

 

[manuelC]

OLED is, always has been, and always will be garbage. You've been captured by marketing. You can still break free!

care to elaborate?

 

[Janichsan]

Isn't OLED better than miniLED? Why aren't they investing in OLED

MiniLED is cheaper. So, higher profit margins.

 

[dragoon2745]

When the article says Apple is investing money, does that mean they're buying an equity stake in the company, providing a low interest rate loan, putting down a deposit on future orders, or something else?

 

[xgman]

Interesting how the iMac Pro is mentioned but none of the non-Pro iMacs are mentioned (not even the supposedly forthcoming 23" panel) and yet the basic iPad and iPad mini are mentioned.

maybe gearing up to make the imacpro have more of a "pro" panel to differentiate it more form the imac?

 

[sublunar]

care to elaborate?

OLED's downfall is in screen burn in. Phones don't really suffer from this as the small panels generally aren't on for hours at a time. TVs and monitors can suffer when they are on for hours at a time with on screen graphics in the same place all the time - examples include the digital on screen graphics such as the CNN logo or Mac toolbar elements which can relatively quickly burn into the screen.

The cost of OLED panels are prohibitive.

And the O in OLED is organic - which means they will decay over time.

I found a nice primer out there to bring you up to speed with everything else.

This is why Apple are moving direct to mini LED over OLED with an eye on micro LED when that drops in price.

 

[Drewsky8]

OLED phones gives me a headache

 

[sublunar]

OLED phones gives me a headache

That's a bit of a concern, I guess it's based on the dimming method which involves modulating the refresh rate and inserting momentary black frames in. With all the iPhone 12s this year slated to use OLED it could well be that mini LED comes in quickly next year with the iPhone 13.

Can I ask if 3D TV gives you a headache - and do you get motion sicknesss/car sickness?

 

[Drewsky8]

That's a bit of a concern, I guess it's based on the dimming method which involves modulating the refresh rate and inserting momentary black frames in. With all the iPhone 12s this year slated to use OLED it could well be that mini LED comes in quickly next year with the iPhone 13.

Can I ask if 3D TV gives you a headache - and do you get motion sicknesss/car sickness?

I watch a LG C7 OLED TV and I do not get a headache from that, of course it’s at full brightness and also I don’t think TV screens operate the same way as phone screens.

 

[Freida]

OLED was always flawed tech from the very start. I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can. MicroLED is where the future is for now.
So whilst we wait for that I'll take miniLED over OLED any day.

 

[whatta]

When is the A14X miniled iPad Pro coming? And why the 11” iPad Pro is missing from the miniled Rumors? Thanks

 

[Janichsan]

And the O in OLED is organic - which means they will decay over time.

I somehow sense a fundamental misunderstanding what "organic" means in this context, but okay.

The cost of OLED panels are prohibitive.

Unless you are talking about panel sizes of 60" and more, that hasn't been true for years. There is a premium compared to LCDs, but the prices are far from "prohibitive".

This is why Apple are moving direct to mini LED over OLED ...

You did notice that Apple uses OLEDs in their top-of-the-line iPhones and Apple Watches, didn't you?

 

[Vjosullivan]

So the 14” MacBook Pro will apears at the end of 2021?

I think it's pretty certain that Apple will be releasing a MacBook Pro with a particular size of screen at some point in the future.

 

[ksec]

I watch a LG C7 OLED TV and I do not get a headache from that, of course it’s at full brightness and also I don’t think TV screens operate the same way as phone screens.

Literally all TV sized OLED are WOLED by LG, which is very different to the AMOLED used in everyday smartphone. Unfortunately WOLED couldn't be made as thin and as small as Samsung's AMOLED.

It is interesting Apple is making a direct investment in this suggesting their Mini LED may likely be different to the ones currently on market. So may be the 10,000 LED really is true. That size and number is sort of between Mini-LED and MicroLED threshold. Which is why I am always skeptical whenever Macrumours mention it. But if that is really true... Apple may well have a display tech that is ahead of everyone in the industry.

(Edit: For comparison this type of Mini LED that Macrumors often suggest, is roughly 50x smaller than current Mini LED used on ProXDR )

 

[lunarworks]

OLED was always flawed tech from the very start. I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can. MicroLED is where the future is for now.
So whilst we wait for that I'll take miniLED over OLED any day.

Yup. OLED is really cool tech with major advantages over LCD, but the burn-in is an unavoidable problem. MicroLED has all the advantages of OLED without the burn-in, and I can't wait for it to reach the mass market.

 

[washburn]

Can someone show me serious OLED burn in artefacts from iPhone X and onwards, as well as Samsung phones? Just interesting to see this so called burn in

OLED market is going to grow massively for years to come, it took a long time to get at this stage, billions were spent on development, still being spent, still improving and breakthroughs, are all manufacturers just going to suddenly cease making OLED and go with MicroLED, can’t see it happening for a long time to come, microLED will probably just be in Apple Watch

DisplayMate tests show OLED breaking new records in terms of colour accuracy, dunno why would anyone want miniLED

 

[markcres]

Human rights in Taiwan are better than communist China. Apple might suffer from not relying on slave labour from an oppressive regime to maximise their profits. The cost of their products might need to go up.