Apple to rely on Samsung, LG as it switches from OLED to microLED displays: Report

Apple is planning reduce its dependence on third-party suppliers by manufacturing its own components. The company has already switched from using Intel processors in its laptops and PCs to using Apple Silicon. Reports have also detailed that the company is planning to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm by manufacturing its own modems. Now, word is that the company is also planning to reduce its dependence on display makers by manufacturing its own display for various products such as iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watch series. The move will also include Apple switching from OLED display to microLED displays in the coming years. The report also suggested that the company will be making the switch gradually and as it does so, it will keep sourcing displays for its devices from Samsung Display and LG Display. Also Read: Diwali Sale Feast! Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Price Cut Under Rs 1 Lakh, Here's How

Apple wants to start using microLED panels as early as 2024 or 2025 with its Apple Watch Ultra but it will not be ready to do so at the start of the transition. That is why it is sourcing panels from South Korea-based companies, says a report by Korean Herald (via GSMArena). Further, the iPhone maker is planning to introduce microLED panels in its iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy M17 5G Sale Begins In India Today: Check The Price, Specifications, And More For This Budget Phone

“Apple is expected to outsource display production to Korean vendors in the coming years to save the costs necessary for mass production. If domestic display makers can outsource Apple’s microLED production, it could give them the advantage to catch up with their Chinese rivals,” a report by Korea’s Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion (IITP) says. Also Read: Just Like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, But Better! This New Foldable Samsung W26 Has Something Special

Apple’s plan to switch screen technology has been ongoing for years. Bloomberg reported about Apple’s plan to design its display back in 2018. However, MicroLED technology is still developing and once it matures and yield and pricing improves, we can see Apple devices with Apple’s microLED panels. 

Apple is slowly moving away from sourcing components from other manufacturers to producing them in-house. Apple has already dropped Intel processors on its MacBook and replaced them with its in-house design processors. 

How OLED and microLED are different

OLED has been the technology of choice for years. It offers excellent colour accuracy with self-illuminating pixels but there are a few disadvantages associated with it such as its brightness degrades over the period and there is a limitation on the number of panels that can be sourced from a sheet of OLED. On the other hand, microLED offers all the advantages of OLED with its own added advantages.

MicroLED offers a bezel-free modular display which can be slotted together to make a screen of any size with a high brightness level. However, Samsung has said that precious Sapphire forms the base of the technology so the only disadvantage associated with it is the cost. 

Simply put, when Apple switches to microLED displays, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch displays will get brighter and better.