When interacting with a smartphone, human-computer communication primarily happens through the touchscreen. Visual effects and pricing differ significantly based on the screen material. Recently, according to industry insiders, samples of micro-LED screens have been tested and will slowly make their way into mobile phones over the next one to two years.
Currently, the main screen materials consist of LCD and LED, with IPS and OLED falling under these two categories.
LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. It works by placing liquid crystals between two parallel sheets of glass. By controlling whether the rod-shaped crystals change orientation via electrical stimulation, the white light from the backlight panel is refracted to create images.
OLED, short for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, displays different colors and patterns by managing independent switches. Besides Apple, most mobile phone manufacturers are already using OLED screens.
The benefits of OLED screens are numerous: high contrast, excellent display quality, wider viewing angles, faster response times; they don’t require a backlight panel, making the screen thinner; and because of the organic material, the screen can bend or even fold, enabling curved-screen and flexible phones.
Given that OLED screens have such significant advantages—especially Samsung’s AMOLED screens, which are highly dependable—why does Apple support micro-LED and push for its adoption?
First, let's understand what micro-LED is and how it differs from OLED. A micro-LED screen, also known as a micro-light-emitting diode screen, works by thinning, miniaturizing, and arranging the LED structure. Each element is only about 1 micron to 10 microns in size. Due to this structural advantage, it offers higher brightness—30 times that of OLED—and better resolution and color—the pixel density can reach up to 1500PPI—with faster response speeds. However, the biggest advantage is lower power consumption, which is particularly appealing for mobile phones where battery technology has yet to make significant breakthroughs.
Micro-LED isn't exactly new—it was developed in 2001. Apart from technological immaturity, the price has been the main obstacle. In comparison to affordable LCDs and increasingly popular OLEDs, micro-LED lacks a price edge. However, since OLED technology is largely monopolized by South Korean companies, Apple is reluctant to be overly dependent on them, thus strongly supporting micro-LED.
In the micro-LED technology race, all major panel manufacturers are actively investing. Once commercial mass production is achieved, prices will drop significantly, inevitably replacing OLED screens in the future.
As the tech world evolves, micro-LED technology holds immense potential. With its superior brightness, color accuracy, and energy efficiency, it could redefine the user experience in mobile devices. While OLED screens continue to dominate the market today, the gradual introduction of micro-LED screens may signal a paradigm shift in the near future. Companies like Apple are betting big on this technology, hoping to lead the charge in innovation and set new standards in display quality. Meanwhile, consumers can look forward to more efficient, vibrant, and flexible screens in their next-generation smartphones. The race between OLED and micro-LED is far from over, but the excitement is palpable.
Cixi Xinke Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.cxxinke.com