Reports say Apple has opened secret facility in Taiwan.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Apple Inc. has reportedly opened a secret workstation-cum-laboratory in northern Taiwan supposedly to develop a new display technology.
Apple’s secret lab located in Longtan has over 50 expert engineers working and a few others assisting them in developing a new display technology that can be incorporated into the company’s next future devices, including iPhones and iPads, reported Bloomberg.
People close to the company, who doesn’t want their identities to be revealed, said that Apple has employed technicians from local display manufacturers such as AU Optronics and Qualcomm Inc., who earlier used the building for their research and development.
The spokeswoman of Apple, Kristin Huguet evaded the questions of the press when asked to comment on whether the Cupertino-based company has classified operations in Taiwan.
It is believed that Apple started the operations in the new secret lab earlier this year to develop a much thinner, lighter, brighter and more energy efficient display solution for their future gadgets. To attain this, the engineers have to put a lot of effort in developing an advanced LCD display than the one currently used in iPhones, iPads and Mac PCs.
It is also speculated that Apple could be working on an LED display that would make the display even thinner without the need of a backlight. Recently there were reports that the company is interested in bringing OLED displays to iPhone, as soon as in the next year.
A display technology patented by Apple means that the company need not anymore depend on the display technologies provided by its arch rival Samsung, and other display manufacturers like LG Display, Japan Display, and Sharp.
Reports say the next iterant of iPhone will dump the conventional audio jack, which will make the phone slimmer than ever.