Apple said to be working with TSMC to develop ultra-advanced micro OLED displays

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: Apple has reportedly partnered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) on the development of advanced micro OLED displays at a top secret facility in Taiwan. The tech is still years away from reaching consumer devices but when it does, it should result in dramatically thinner screens with lower power requirements.

Sources briefed on the matter told Nikkei Asia that Apple aims to use the displays in upcoming augmented reality devices.

As the publication explains, the micro OLED displays are not built on glass substrates like those found in TVs and smartphones. Instead, they are built directly onto chip wafers, the same substrates that semiconductors are made on. This means they are far thinner and smaller than traditional displays and consume less power, too, making them ideal for use in a wearable device like an AR headset or perhaps even a mixed reality device.

This is notably different from the micro LED technology that Apple is also developing, Nikkei noted. A key motivating factor behind both projects is to reduce Apple’s reliance on Samsung as a supplier of display tech.

Apple is no stranger to doing business with TSMC. The contract manufacturer is responsible for supplying Apple with the processors used in its iPhones and is also helping to make Arm-based chips for Macs.

Sources claim the micro OLED project is in the trial stage of production, meaning mass production is still likely several years out.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/88594-apple-working-tsmc-develop-ultra-advanced-micro-oled.html

 

[brucek]

Speaking of strategic risk reduction, I wonder what the tradeoffs were in starting this with TSMC in Taiwan vs. building it up independently in the US. We can assume the problem wasn't needing a partner to share the upfront capital investment.

 

[yRaz]

TSMC is already stretched thin, I don't know how they keep taking on these new jobs.

I also don't want to see TSMC create a monopoly on chip production. They may be the best and most advanced right now but we can't have other fabs end up like Intel when they are stuck on the same node for several generations. I know Intel is everyone's favorite punching bag right now but I have no desire for them to be uncompetitive and innovative.

I would like to see several major fabs all bringing different innovations to the market. We're reaching the end of silicon production and we may be able to push chip productions further with graphene or photonics but we can't have TSMC be the only game in town.

And it isn't just a monopoly I'm worried about, we are already seeing the results of chip shortages around the world right now. There simply isn't enough chip production to satisfy the world demand and it's only going to get worse. Prices will rise not just because TSMC will be the only game in town but because of supply and demand. Currently chip shortages created the scalping problem. The scalpers wouldn't be making any money if you could go to any website and buy one at MSRP.

Everyone wants to Blame AMD and nVidia for the chip shortages but yields are lower than they want to admit and these fabs can only pump out so many chips.

 

[defaultluser]

I'm surprised LG wasn't enough of a volume addition to handle thi

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...8/apple-iphone-xs-max-lg-oled-display-samsung

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Maybe AMD and Nvidia should invest in a Fab together for 3nm and 2nm.

At what point do these companies realise if there is not enough capacity to produce their chips they need to invest in their own fabs or invest in getting say Global foundries up to scratch. If AMD and Nvidia want to also get into automotive applications then they are up sh!t creek without a paddle because the demand for these applications is massive and there is not nearly enough capacity to go around. They shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[Sedziwoj]

Everyone wants to Blame AMD and nVidia for the chip shortages but yields are lower than they want to admit and these fabs can only pump out so many chips.

What Nvidia have to do with it? Nvidia Ampere (not server chips) are made by Samsung, not TSMC

 

[yRaz]

What Nvidia have to do with it? Nvidia Ampere (not server chips) are made by Samsung, not TSMC

I said fabs, not just TSMC. Fabs in general can't keep up with demand, what you quoted has me saying as much.

 

[Sedziwoj]

I said fabs, not just TSMC. Fabs in general can't keep up with demand, what you quoted has me saying as much.

so were Intel, Samsunk, Apple?
sorry, but you mention only TSMC, and AMD and Nvidia, so you misrepresenting, and even when you say " There simply isn't enough chip production to satisfy the world demand " you don't even think about others, when this two are minority in reality. It showing what you don't know where most wafers are going.

 

[yRaz]

so were Intel, Samsunk, Apple?
sorry, but you mention only TSMC, and AMD and Nvidia, so you misrepresenting, and even when you say " There simply isn't enough chip production to satisfy the world demand " you don't even think about others, when this two are minority in reality. It showing what you don't know where most wafers are going.

yRaz said:
Everyone wants to Blame AMD and nVidia for the chip shortages but yields are lower than they want to admit and these fabs can only pump out so many chips.

What Nvidia have to do with it? Nvidia Ampere (not server chips) are made by Samsung, not TSMC




I'm not even going to bother formatting this, eff off