“At present, mobile AMOLEDs have adopted low-temperature polysilicon thin-film transistor (LTPS TFT) as the standard backplane, whether in rigid OLEDs with a glass substrate or in flexible OLEDs with a polyimide substrate. This is because of good electron mobility, which drives OLED circuitry and materials to achieve high pixel densities,” David Hsieh writes for IHS Markit. “In the AMOLED industry, there is a saying that if display makers wish to make good-quality AMOLED displays, achieving mature manufacturing in LTPS TFT first is a must.”
“However, a new kind of backplane TFT is rising on the horizon which the Apple iPhone may adopt in the long term- the so-called LTPO, or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide,” Hsieh writes. “In fact, Apple has applied for three important patents on LTPO.”
“Backplane technology is important because it covers the components in thin-film transistors that drive the main display. The backplane is what is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off, and so plays a significant role in determining a display screen’s resolution, refresh rates, and power consumption,” Hsieh writes. “Apple in the long term may want to have more control over components of the flexible OLED.”
There are several reasons for Apple to introduce LTPO:
• To be more closely involved in flexible OLED component cost and technology
• To reduce power consumption of Apple products
• To achieve high electron mobility for higher resolution of its displays
• To better manage its display supply chain and that of its partner-display manufacturers
Hsieh writes, “IHS Markit believes Apple may ask display suppliers to start deploying LTPO first on the Apple Watch, and then gradually introduce it in the iPhone display over the long term.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Surely Samsung competitors who covet Apple’s display business (LG Display, for example) are working on diligently overcoming challenges to high-volume LTPO production right now.
No matter what Apple comes out with, Samsung will be sure to duplicate it shortly after. What’s really amazing with Samsung is for every one thing Apple announces, Samsung can announce five things. Samsung must have some super design team to be able to come out with so many products.
I often wonder if Apple can count on any other company to produce displays like Samsung does. Those other companies always seem to fall short in some way with either quantity or quality. I hope LG is up to the task.