Apple's Micro LED research center in Taiwan (Image: Seeking Alpha)

Apple might be cutting the size of its Micro LED R&D team, but it does not seem to give up on the next generation display technology, a few sources reported. It is collaborating with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to develop an alternative approach to sidestep challenges including the notorious mass transfer of chips, reported 9 to 5 mac.

Earlier in this year, Apple claimed its Micro LED development had hit the pilot run phase. The market even expected an Apple Watch with a self-emissive Micro LED display. However, it turned out the plan was postponed to next year, or even later.

It made the industry wonder that Apple whittled down its R&D team in Taiwan at this point might imply the tech giant hit a wall and is struggling with the mass transfer process. Yet, a few sources from the industry revealed the opposite. Apple is not giving up on the development of Micro LED technology; instead, it completed their research in Taiwan and thus moved its R&D work back to the US.

Apple is also working with TSMC to develop applications using silicon-based technology, the sources went on to unveil. The two companies intend to apply silicon wafers to dodge the bottleneck that includes the mass transfer of Micro LED chips onto receiver substrates, as DIGITIMES carried in its report.  

Micro LED is believed to be able to bring a part of the key advantages of OLED to the next level- higher brightness, better color fidelity, power efficiency, and heat endurability. It would be better for now to focus on every progress made from the current stage rather than when it can supplant OLED.