iMac to Feature OLED Technology and Project by Apple
Industry sources suggest that Apple is undertaking a project for development of an iMac with organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology. The company is reportedly forwarding Requests for Information (RFI) from Samsung Display and LG Display regarding the possible production of the new panel.
The Required Panel While Waiting
The RFI proposes preliminary specifications for a 24-inch OLED panel. Important targets include:
- Brightness: 600 nits
- Pixel Density: 218 PIXELS PER INCH
This is a large jump in brightness from the current LCD iMac, which has a brightness of 500 nits at the same 218 PPI pixel density.
Technological Possibility and Approaches of Suppliers
Both Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to use existing large format OLED technologies based on non fine metal masks (FMMs).
Samsung Display: The company is expected to adopt its quantum dot (QD)-OLED technology. This consists of passing blue light through a QD color conversion layer. To meet Apple's brightness target, Samsung may utilize a new 5-stack QD-OLED structure.
LG Display: LG will likely respond with its white (W)-OLED technology, which uses a white light source that is passed through a color filter. LG is also developing a 5-stack W-OLED structure to get greater brightness over its current products.
Technical Challenges and Long-term Goals
A major disadvantage is that Apple seems to prefer RGB OLED, which means colored subpixels - red, green, and blue - emit light and color by themselves. The technology, however, for reliable mass production of RGB OLED panels in the range of 20 to 30 inches is not yet established. The current FMM-based RGB OLED production is mainly limited to smaller smartphone and tablet displays.
Both suppliers will initially roll out their larger-than-life OLED solutions, but in the long term, both have plans for RGB OLED as part of Apple's product range. Both have also conducted research on FMM-less deposition technologies such as LG's "eLeap," which could eventually enable large-format RGB OLED production, however, the technology has not yet been demonstrated at scale.
Projected development timeline
Reports suggest that Apple aims to complete the development of the panel by 2027 or 2028. However, release of a finished consumer product incorporating such a display would likely follow thereafter.
Source: Information based on a report from The Elec.
