Apple is rumored to be secretly designing and testing Micro LED screens for iPhones

Apple has been actively investing in the mass production of next-generation displays in order to reduce its dependence on rival Samsung and strengthen its control over the supply of key components. It is said that Apple has invested at least US$1 billion in the research and development and sample production of Micro LED technology in the past 10 years, in order to have greater control over the next generation of display technology.

Compared with OLED screens, Micro LED has better image quality performance, and can help reduce power consumption and achieve thinner designs. In Apple’s plan, Apple Watch will first use Micro LED screens. According to the initial speculation in the industry, Apple will probably independently control the key production processes of Micro LED screens (especially the Micro LED mass transfer process). However, it has recently been reported that the key production projects will be undertaken by LGD.

Regarding the latest news about Micro LED screens for iPhones, foreign media said that if Apple launches self-developed Micro LED screens in the future, it will have an impact on the business of Samsung, Sharp, JDI and other companies.

However, it is worth noting that since there are still many technical problems to be overcome in the production of Micro LED, it will take several years for the iPhone to actually adopt mass-produced Micro LED screens. Even for giant companies like Apple, it will be difficult to advance. What is relatively clear now is that Apple will launch its second new iPhone model with a 6.5-inch OLED display later this year. Therefore, in the short term, Apple will continue to be bound to display manufacturers such as Samsung and LG in terms of iPhone screen suppliers.

In the medium to long term, the signal released by Apple still clearly shows its strong interest in Micro LED and its confidence in its application prospects. According to TrendForce’s research, although Apple Watch has postponed the launch of the 2.12-inch product from 2025 to 2026 due to the re-planning of the production chain, mass production of Micro LED has already begun, and there will also be opportunities to introduce it into its head-mounted devices, mobile phones, and automotive market applications in the future.

On the iPhone application, according to anonymous sources, Apple is currently investing heavily in the development of Micro LED screens. The project was launched about a year ago. Since then, the Apple team has been using advanced technology to produce the highest quality displays and is currently producing a small amount of displays for testing.

In addition, at the end of June, Korean media reported that Apple had built a Micro LED test line at a Korean display company factory. Apple is responsible for the Micro LED chip (transfer) part and cooperates with Korean companies in the field of drive circuits (backplane).