Apple is scrapping a long-running project to design and develop its own smartwatch displays, putting an end to another pricey research and development initiative. microLED, which is made from millions of microscopic light-emitting diodes, uses less power, offers superior color accuracy, and allows for thinner devices (i.e. svelter Apple Watches).
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
In recent weeks, the company has ceased an in-house effort to create screens with microLED technology, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The displays, which featured brighter and more vibrant visuals, would have been added to a future version of the Apple Watch — before potentially going into other products.
But the cost and complexity of the effort ultimately proved too great. So Apple is now reorganizing the teams that handle display engineering and eliminating several dozen roles in the US and Asia, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.
The move to shutter the project came around the same time as the company’s decision to cancel work on a self-driving car. In both cases, Apple is giving at least some affected employees the opportunity to find other roles within the company. If they can’t get new jobs — a likely scenario for some of them — the workers will be laid off and provided severance.
The effort kicked off about seven years ago… Apple even built its own screen manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, California, near its Cupertino headquarters, where hundreds of employees could test the production of microLED screens. Many of the job cuts involve people at that site — along with Apple display engineering centers in Asia near the company’s supply-chain hubs.
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MacDailyNews Take: So, while it could still come to Apple devices someday, don’t hold your breath for microLED.
Boy, the recent raft of about-faces, settlements, and knifings of boondoggles sure smack of buttoning things up and clearing the decks, don’t they? But, for what?
Dare we dream?
See also:
• Apple reaches $490 million settlement over allegations that CEO Tim Cook defrauded shareholders – March 15, 2024
• Apple capitulates, will restore Epic Games’ developer account in the EU – March 8, 2024
• How an indecisive Tim Cook blew $1 billion a year on a vehicle Apple never built – March 6, 2024
• Apple employees referred to doomed Apple Car project as ‘The Titanic Disaster’ – February 29, 2024
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“You can’t always get what you want…”
It’s too bad this didn’t pan out, but there is never a guarantee that these things will work. Sometimes you spend a ton of money but the materials just won’t cooperate. I don’t criticize Apple for this. A couple of years ago at the shareholder meeting Tim Cook said they would invest aggressively in R&D. Most of the projects would not pan out, but the only way to find the good ones is to invest in all of them. That’s the way R&D works.
NO, you don’t “invest in all of them”. That’s what losers without vision do, throwing billions at the wall hoping something will stick.
The essence of what Apple currently lacks is the unique vision Steve Jobs had for spotting groundbreaking innovations beyond the company’s borders. It’s reminiscent of the PT Barnum approach—recognizing that inspiration and phenomenal ideas can originate from the most unexpected places. Unfortunately, Tim Cook seems to miss this perspective. It’s not necessarily his fault; his expertise doesn’t lie in product innovation in the same way.
Since Job’s return to head Apple, what has Apple manufactured in house rather than outsourcing to a company with the specific manufacturing expertise?
hubris?
Good God, Tim. If Apple can’t do two things at once, spit the ‘gum’ out and at least get somewhere…
“…clearing the decks.” Indeed. Maybe merge with IBM and leverage Watson. Makes more sense than micro LED displays and driverless cars.😎