Apple acquired Micro-LED developer LuxVue in May 2014 and has not updated on the technology since, but several reports suggested that Apple has an R&D Micro-LED team in Taiwan and some analysts estimated that Apple actually aims to start low-volume Micro-LED production by the end of 2017 with mass production of smart watch displays beginning as soon as 2018.
A new report from Taiwan, however, says that Apple decided to downsize its R&D team in Taiwan. According to the report, a possible explanation is that Apple decided to move its Micro-LED R&D focus to the USA. The same report also says that Apple is collaborating with TSMC to develop applications based on silicon-based backplanes - which could relate to Micro-LEDs.
Another option is that Apple and its supply chain partners still face mass transfer challenges and progress in Micro-LED commercialization is slower than expected.
