Apple Reportedly Investing Over $300M in New Taiwanese Factory to Produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED Displays - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Reportedly Investing Over $300M in New Taiwanese Factory to Produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED Displays

Apple plans to invest around NT$10 billion (US$334 million) towards the opening of a new factory at the Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan, according to a Chinese report in the Economic Daily News. English coverage is available at Focus Taiwan.

mac ipad pro side by side
The report claims that Apple will use the factory to produce Mini-LED and Micro-LED displays for future devices, in partnership with Taiwan-based suppliers Epistar and AU Optronics. In March, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is planning at least six Mini-LED products for release by the end of 2021, including 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, an iMac Pro, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 10.2-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch ‌iPad‌ mini.

Kuo has previously said that Mini-LED backlit displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while offering many of the same benefits of OLED displays used on the latest iPhones, including high contrast and dynamic range.

Apple already has a Mini-LED and Micro-LED research and development facility at the same research park, built in 2014.

Popular Stories

macbook pro oled weight

OLED MacBook Pro vs. Mini-LED MacBook Pro: Size and Weight Compared

Wednesday October 28, 2026 12:25 pm PDT by
The OLED MacBook Pro models look a lot like the prior mini-LED MacBook Pros, but Apple did make some design updates. The new machines are slightly thinner and lighter, and the 16-inch model has a larger display thanks to slimmer bezels. The 16-inch OLED MacBook Pro lists a 16.3-inch display, up from 16.2 inches. The 14-inch OLED MacBook Pro still has the same 14.2-inch display. Height ...
Oled MackBook Pros 23

MacBook Pro's Switch to OLED Could Spell Trouble for Mini-LED Industry

Monday October 26, 2026 3:10 am PDT by
Apple's expected switch to OLED for the MacBook Pro will help accelerate a sharp decline in mini-LED laptop displays, with annual panel shipments forecast to fall roughly 75% between 2025 and 2027, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple's MacBook Pro models have used mini-LED displays since 2021, but Counterpoint expects notebook panel shipments using the technology to drop 38% in 2026...
Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display family lineup feature

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo. Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...

Top Rated Comments

85 months ago

care to elaborate?
OLED's downfall is in screen burn in. Phones don't really suffer from this as the small panels generally aren't on for hours at a time. TVs and monitors can suffer when they are on for hours at a time with on screen graphics in the same place all the time - examples include the digital on screen graphics such as the CNN logo or Mac toolbar elements which can relatively quickly burn into the screen.

The cost of OLED panels are prohibitive.

And the O in OLED is organic - which means they will decay over time.

I found a nice primer ('https://medium.com/hd-pro/understanding-oled-qled-mini-led-microled-dont-be-misled-30520b686fcb') out there to bring you up to speed with everything else.

This is why Apple are moving direct to mini LED over OLED with an eye on micro LED when that drops in price.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

OLED was always flawed tech from the very start. I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can. MicroLED is where the future is for now.
So whilst we wait for that I'll take miniLED over OLED any day.
Yup. OLED is really cool tech with major advantages over LCD, but the burn-in is an unavoidable problem. MicroLED has all the advantages of OLED without the burn-in, and I can't wait for it to reach the mass market.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

Isn't OLED better than miniLED? Why aren't they investing in OLED
OLED is, always has been, and always will be garbage. You've been captured by marketing. You can still break free!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

Unless you are talking about panel sizes of 60" and more, that hasn't been true for years. There is a premium compared to LCDs, but the prices are far from "prohibitive".
Just because an OLED TV has a HDMI port in it and you could plug a PC into it doesn't make it a good computer monitor.

Can you name a 'far from prohibitively' priced OLED computer monitor please?

To save you some time I'll name two OLED monitors for you. Dell UltraSharp UP3017UQ ('https://www.anandtech.com/show/11272/dells-ultrasharp-30inch-4k-oled-now-on-sale-up3017q-for-3500') - on launch it cost $3499 and Dell don't seem to sell it any more. Do you want to see an iMac (not even a Pro) start at $5k with i5 and a hard drive in it?

Want one that you can buy now? Alienware AW5520QF - on the Dell UK store it's on sale for £2799. Yeah it's 55 inch and marketed for gamers, but where is the HDR mode?

Too big? OK, Asus PQ22U, a 4k 21.5" display, right? Lovely. Factory calibrated, HDR, 99% of DCI-P3 gamut, and very close to professional grade displays if you only looked at sections of the screen. But the brightness isn't that great on this one - however, crank up the brightness and the burn in chance increases. How much? $4k - or almost £3,900 on Amazon UK. Yeah, I don't see Apple putting that panel into the iMac 21.5"...

I've seen smaller laptop sized panels but read the reviews - tell me how long till you reach the comments about burn-in.

You'll have to look at the definition of prohibitive from a consumer point of view. Imagine the outcry if an OLED iMac screen burns in after 3 years when the rest of the computer could do service for 10? And they've had to pay hundreds (thousands) of extra dollars for the screen? Look at the number of OLED monitors on the market and the cost of them.

Apple aim for a price point and obviously decided that OLED fits the profile for phones and watches and would be unwilling to apply that premium to a computer. Imagine the utter outcry from certain Macrumors denizens if the next iMac came at a $2500 base cost because of an OLED screen despite Apple using power.

Prices are coming down, LCD panels are becoming commodity and it's easy to see why Apple are getting off that particular horse and getting on a more valuable quality proposition - and that proposition is Mini LED and not OLED for iMacs.


You did notice that Apple uses OLEDs in their top-of-the-line iPhones and Apple Watches, didn't you?
Perhaps I needed to clarify the statement to mean monitors for Macs and MacBooks. And OLED may be an acceptable stepping stone for phones and watches that won't last a decade and aren't 'on' for hours - showing a static screen all day. That's the difference that makes OLED acceptable for phones and watches.

Note that iPads have stayed LCD and will be going direct to mini LED rather than ever getting OLED.

OLED colour reproduction may be superior but I doubt the people (like myself) who keep their Macs for the best part of a decade (or indeed the people who buy used machines) would be impressed with OLED panels after any appreciable length of time and used values would plummet even if the machine was in otherwise perfect condition.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Janichsan Avatar
85 months ago
And the O in OLED is organic - which means they will decay over time.
I somehow sense a fundamental misunderstanding what "organic" means in this context, but okay.

The cost of OLED panels are prohibitive.
Unless you are talking about panel sizes of 60" and more, that hasn't been true for years. There is a premium compared to LCDs, but the prices are far from "prohibitive".

This is why Apple are moving direct to mini LED over OLED ...
You did notice that Apple uses OLEDs in their top-of-the-line iPhones and Apple Watches, didn't you?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
OLED was always flawed tech from the very start. I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can. MicroLED is where the future is for now.
So whilst we wait for that I'll take miniLED over OLED any day.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
1 minute ago
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
7 hours ago
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
8 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
8 hours ago
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
8 hours ago
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
9 hours ago
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
10 hours ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
11 hours ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
13 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
13 hours ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
13 hours ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
15 hours ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
16 hours ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
16 hours ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
16 hours ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
17 hours ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
17 hours ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
17 hours ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
18 hours ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
20 hours ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
20 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
1 day ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
1 day ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
1 day ago
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
1 day ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
1 day ago
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
1 day ago
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
2 days ago
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
2 days ago
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
MacBook Pro Mini-LED vs. OLED Buyer's Guide: Every Difference
2 days ago

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors