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TSMC Could Soon Make Apple's AR Dreams a Reality<blockquote>台积电可能很快就会让苹果的AR梦想成为现实</blockquote>
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{"i18n":{"language":"zh_CN"},"detailType":1,"isChannel":false,"data":{"magic":2,"id":382267763,"tweetId":"382267763","gmtCreate":1613454318652,"gmtModify":1634553613029,"author":{"id":3575347610709013,"idStr":"3575347610709013","authorId":3575347610709013,"authorIdStr":"3575347610709013","name":"瀚妈","avatar":"https://static.tigerbbs.com/cc130c80435a1df7ae157dd6764e34e0","vip":1,"userType":1,"introduction":"","boolIsFan":false,"boolIsHead":false,"crmLevel":11,"crmLevelSwitch":0,"individualDisplayBadges":[],"fanSize":10,"starInvestorFlag":false},"themes":[],"images":[],"coverImages":[],"extraTitle":"","html":"<html><head></head><body><p>Good</p></body></html>","htmlText":"<html><head></head><body><p>Good</p></body></html>","text":"Good","highlighted":1,"essential":1,"paper":1,"likeSize":3,"commentSize":2,"repostSize":0,"favoriteSize":0,"link":"https://laohu8.com/post/382267763","repostId":1146484369,"repostType":2,"repost":{"id":"1146484369","kind":"news","pubTimestamp":1613452596,"share":"https://www.laohu8.com/m/news/1146484369?lang=zh_CN&edition=full","pubTime":"2021-02-16 13:16","market":"us","language":"en","title":"TSMC Could Soon Make Apple's AR Dreams a Reality<blockquote>台积电可能很快就会让苹果的AR梦想成为现实</blockquote>","url":"https://stock-news.laohu8.com/highlight/detail?id=1146484369","media":"Motley Fool","summary":"The world's largest contract chipmaker might be making Apple's most advanced displays.\nApple (NASDAQ","content":"<p>The world's largest contract chipmaker might be making Apple's most advanced displays.</p><p><blockquote>全球最大的合同芯片制造商可能正在生产苹果最先进的显示器。</blockquote></p><p> <b>Apple</b> (NASDAQ:AAPL) is partnering with <b>Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing</b> (NYSE:TSM) to produce micro OLED displays for its long-rumored augmented reality devices at a secretive facility in Taiwan, according to Nikkei Asia Review.</p><p><blockquote><b>苹果</b>（纳斯达克：AAPL）正在与<b>台积电</b>据《日经亚洲评论》报道，（纽约证券交易所股票代码：TSM）将在台湾的一个秘密工厂为其传闻已久的增强现实设备生产微型OLED显示器。</blockquote></p><p> That Feb. 10 announcement is surprising since TSMC mainly manufactures semiconductors on silicon wafers instead of display panels on glass substrates. However, Apple's micro OLED displays will be built directly on chip wafers to make them smaller, thinner, and more power-efficient than regular OLED screens.</p><p><blockquote>2月10日的公告令人惊讶，因为台积电主要在硅片上制造半导体，而不是在玻璃基板上制造显示面板。然而，苹果的micro OLED显示器将直接构建在芯片晶圆上，使其比常规OLED屏幕更小、更薄、更节能。</blockquote></p><p> These new screens are reportedly less than one inch wide and would be well-suited for AR devices like headsets and glasses, which need to be lightweight and last for a long time on a single charge.</p><p><blockquote>据报道，这些新屏幕的宽度不到一英寸，非常适合耳机和眼镜等AR设备，这些设备需要重量轻，一次充电可以持续很长时间。</blockquote></p><p> Nikkei's sources claim the screens are still being tested, and they will take \"several years\" to enter mass production -- which supports rumors that Apple will be launching AR devices over the next few years. The facility is also testing out larger micro-LED screens for upcoming Apple Watches, iPads, and MacBooks.</p><p><blockquote>日经新闻的消息人士称，这些屏幕仍在测试中，需要“几年时间”才能进入大规模生产——这支持了苹果将在未来几年内推出AR设备的传言。该工厂还在为即将推出的苹果手表、iPad和MacBook测试更大的微型LED屏幕。</blockquote></p><p> <b>How will this deal help Apple?</b></p><p><blockquote><b>这笔交易将如何帮助苹果？</b></blockquote></p><p> Apple's near-term goals are simple. It needs to keep selling more iPhones, which generated over half its revenue last year, to tether more users to its expanding ecosystem of services, which include the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple Pay, and other services.</p><p><blockquote>苹果的近期目标很简单。它需要继续向其不断扩大的服务生态系统（包括App Store、苹果音乐、苹果TV+、苹果Arcade、苹果Pay和其他服务）销售更多iPhone（去年收入的一半以上）。</blockquote></p><p> Meanwhile, it needs to keep refreshing its iPad, Mac, Watch, and AirPods segments. But looking further ahead, Apple will eventually need to launch a completely new line of hardware devices, and AR headsets and glasses will likely represent that next big leap.</p><p><blockquote>与此同时，它需要不断刷新其iPad、Mac、Watch和AirPods细分市场。但展望未来，苹果最终将需要推出一系列全新的硬件设备，而AR头显和眼镜可能会代表下一个重大飞跃。</blockquote></p><p> That's why Apple has boosted its presence in the AR market in recent years. It launched ARKit, a software development kit for AR apps on iOS, back in 2017. It added 3D-sensing cameras to its iPhones to encourage developers to create more AR apps and patented several designs for AR glasses.</p><p><blockquote>这就是为什么苹果近年来加大了在AR市场的影响力。早在2017年，它就推出了ARKit，这是一个用于iOS上AR应用程序的软件开发工具包。它在iPhone上添加了3D传感摄像头，以鼓励开发者创建更多的AR应用程序，并为AR眼镜的几项设计申请了专利。</blockquote></p><p> It also gobbled up smaller AR and VR companies, including Metaio, Flyby Media, SensoMotoric Instruments, and Akonia Holographics, and assembled a team of industry experts to develop new products. However, Apple already reportedly scrapped several of its ambitious AR/VR projects, and it's still unclear how the tech giant plans to proceed in the slippery, nascent market.</p><p><blockquote>它还吞并了较小的AR和VR公司，包括Metaio、Flyby Media、SensoMotoric Instruments和Akonia Holographics，并组建了一个行业专家团队来开发新产品。然而，据报道，苹果已经取消了几个雄心勃勃的AR/VR项目，目前还不清楚这家科技巨头计划如何在这个不稳定的新兴市场中前进。</blockquote></p><p> The latest rumors suggest Apple could launch an AR headset in 2022 and a pair of lightweight AR glasses in 2023. Those launch dates suggest Apple could wait for early movers like <b>Microsoft</b> and Magic Leap to expose the market's flaws before launching disruptive user-friendly products, as it previously did with MP3 players, smartphones, tablet computers, and smartwatches.</p><p><blockquote>最新传言称，苹果可能会在2022年推出一款AR头显，并在2023年推出一副轻量级AR眼镜。这些发布日期表明苹果可以等待这样的先行者<b>微软</b>Magic Leap在推出颠覆性的用户友好型产品之前揭露市场的缺陷，就像它之前在MP3播放器、智能手机、平板电脑和智能手表上所做的那样。</blockquote></p><p> If Apple's AR glasses gain mainstream momentum, it would diversify the company's hardware business away from the iPhone while locking more users into its walled garden. It could also pave the way for the eventual launch of the long-rumored \"Apple Car\" tethered to its AR services.</p><p><blockquote>如果苹果的AR眼镜获得主流势头，它将使该公司的硬件业务多元化，远离iPhone，同时将更多用户锁定在其围墙花园中。这也可能为传闻已久的与其AR服务相关的“苹果汽车”的最终推出铺平道路。</blockquote></p><p> <b>How will this deal help TSMC?</b></p><p><blockquote><b>这笔交易将如何帮助台积电？</b></blockquote></p><p> TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, has produced Apple's first-party chips for years. Apple accounted for just over a fifth of TSMC's revenue in 2020, with most of its orders boosting the 5nm and 7nm nodes, which accounted for 41% of its top line.</p><p><blockquote>台积电是全球最大的代工芯片制造商，多年来一直生产苹果的第一方芯片。2020年，苹果占台积电收入的五分之一多一点，其大部分订单都来自5纳米和7纳米节点，这两个节点占其营收的41%。</blockquote></p><p> TSMC's top rival,<b>Samsung</b>, also manufactures chips for Apple. However, Samsung also produces LCD and OLED displays for Apple's devices. Therefore, Apple's decision to partner with TSMC to produce micro OLED screens marks a deliberate shift away from Samsung, which could also have produced micro-LED and OLED displays with its in-house chip foundry.</p><p><blockquote>台积电的头号竞争对手，<b>三星</b>，还为苹果制造芯片。然而，三星也为苹果的设备生产LCD和OLED显示屏。因此，苹果决定与台积电合作生产micro OLED屏幕，标志着它有意远离三星，三星也可以通过其内部芯片代工厂生产micro-LED和OLED显示屏。</blockquote></p><p> It makes more sense for Apple to partner with TSMC, for two reasons: Samsung is still its biggest competitor in the smartphone market, and splitting its orders between two or more suppliers gives it more clout in price negotiations.</p><p><blockquote>苹果与台积电合作更有意义，原因有二：三星仍是其在智能手机市场最大的竞争对手，将订单分给两家或更多供应商，使其在价格谈判中拥有更大的影响力。</blockquote></p><p> Apple clearly benefits from this partnership, but it could also help TSMC reduce its dependence on the maturing smartphone market, which accounted for 48% of its revenue in 2020. As the AR market expands, other companies could also follow Apple's lead and tap TSMC to manufacture similar advanced screens for their devices -- which would open up new sources of revenue growth beyond semiconductors.</p><p><blockquote>苹果显然从这种合作关系中受益，但它也可以帮助台积电减少对成熟的智能手机市场的依赖，该市场在2020年占其收入的48%。随着AR市场的扩大，其他公司也可以效仿苹果，利用台积电为其设备制造类似的先进屏幕——这将开辟半导体之外的新收入增长来源。</blockquote></p><p> <b>The bottom line</b></p><p><blockquote><b>底线</b></blockquote></p><p> This deal won't move the needle for Apple or TSMC anytime soon. But it could still be a win-win deal over the long term -- Apple would reduce its dependence on Samsung and advance its AR plans, while TSMC would tighten its relationship with Apple and diversify its business away from smartphone chips.</p><p><blockquote>这笔交易不会很快对苹果或台积电产生影响。但从长远来看，这仍然可能是一笔双赢的交易——苹果将减少对三星的依赖并推进其AR计划，而台积电将加强与苹果的关系，并将其业务多元化，远离智能手机芯片。</blockquote></p><p></p>","collect":0,"html":"<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text/html; charset=utf-8\" />\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width,initial-scale=1.0,minimum-scale=1.0,maximum-scale=1.0,user-scalable=no\"/>\n<meta name=\"format-detection\" content=\"telephone=no,email=no,address=no\" />\n<title>TSMC Could Soon Make Apple's AR Dreams a Reality<blockquote>台积电可能很快就会让苹果的AR梦想成为现实</blockquote></title>\n<style type=\"text/css\">\na,abbr,acronym,address,applet,article,aside,audio,b,big,blockquote,body,canvas,caption,center,cite,code,dd,del,details,dfn,div,dl,dt,\nem,embed,fieldset,figcaption,figure,footer,form,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,header,hgroup,html,i,iframe,img,ins,kbd,label,legend,li,mark,menu,nav,\nobject,ol,output,p,pre,q,ruby,s,samp,section,small,span,strike,strong,sub,summary,sup,table,tbody,td,tfoot,th,thead,time,tr,tt,u,ul,var,video{ font:inherit;margin:0;padding:0;vertical-align:baseline;border:0 }\nbody{ font-size:16px; line-height:1.5; color:#999; background:transparent; }\n.wrapper{ overflow:hidden;word-break:break-all;padding:10px; }\nh1,h2{ font-weight:normal; line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:.6em; }\nh3,h4,h5,h6{ line-height:1.35; margin-bottom:1em; }\nh1{ font-size:24px; }\nh2{ font-size:20px; }\nh3{ font-size:18px; }\nh4{ font-size:16px; }\nh5{ font-size:14px; }\nh6{ font-size:12px; }\np,ul,ol,blockquote,dl,table{ margin:1.2em 0; }\nul,ol{ margin-left:2em; }\nul{ list-style:disc; }\nol{ list-style:decimal; }\nli,li p{ margin:10px 0;}\nimg{ max-width:100%;display:block;margin:0 auto 1em; }\nblockquote{ color:#B5B2B1; border-left:3px solid #aaa; padding:1em; }\nstrong,b{font-weight:bold;}\nem,i{font-style:italic;}\ntable{ width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:1px;margin:1em 0;font-size:.9em; }\nth,td{ padding:5px;text-align:left;border:1px solid #aaa; }\nth{ font-weight:bold;background:#5d5d5d; }\n.symbol-link{font-weight:bold;}\n/* header{ border-bottom:1px solid #494756; } */\n.title{ margin:0 0 8px;line-height:1.3;color:#ddd; }\n.meta {color:#5e5c6d;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 .5em; }\na{text-decoration:none; color:#2a4b87;}\n.meta .head { display: inline-block; overflow: hidden}\n.head .h-thumb { width: 30px; height: 30px; margin: 0; padding: 0; border-radius: 50%; float: left;}\n.head .h-content { margin: 0; padding: 0 0 0 9px; float: left;}\n.head .h-name {font-size: 13px; color: #eee; margin: 0;}\n.head .h-time {font-size: 12.5px; color: #7E829C; margin: 0;}\n.small {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.9); -webkit-transform: scale(0.9); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.smaller {font-size: 12.5px; display: inline-block; transform: scale(0.8); -webkit-transform: scale(0.8); transform-origin: left; -webkit-transform-origin: left;}\n.bt-text {font-size: 12px;margin: 1.5em 0 0 0}\n.bt-text p {margin: 0}\n</style>\n</head>\n<body>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<header>\n<h2 class=\"title\">\nTSMC Could Soon Make Apple's AR Dreams a Reality<blockquote>台积电可能很快就会让苹果的AR梦想成为现实</blockquote>\n</h2>\n<h4 class=\"meta\">\n<p class=\"head\">\n<strong class=\"h-name small\">Motley Fool</strong><span class=\"h-time small\">2021-02-16 13:16</span>\n</p>\n</h4>\n</header>\n<article>\n<p>The world's largest contract chipmaker might be making Apple's most advanced displays.</p><p><blockquote>全球最大的合同芯片制造商可能正在生产苹果最先进的显示器。</blockquote></p><p> <b>Apple</b> (NASDAQ:AAPL) is partnering with <b>Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing</b> (NYSE:TSM) to produce micro OLED displays for its long-rumored augmented reality devices at a secretive facility in Taiwan, according to Nikkei Asia Review.</p><p><blockquote><b>苹果</b>（纳斯达克：AAPL）正在与<b>台积电</b>据《日经亚洲评论》报道，（纽约证券交易所股票代码：TSM）将在台湾的一个秘密工厂为其传闻已久的增强现实设备生产微型OLED显示器。</blockquote></p><p> That Feb. 10 announcement is surprising since TSMC mainly manufactures semiconductors on silicon wafers instead of display panels on glass substrates. However, Apple's micro OLED displays will be built directly on chip wafers to make them smaller, thinner, and more power-efficient than regular OLED screens.</p><p><blockquote>2月10日的公告令人惊讶，因为台积电主要在硅片上制造半导体，而不是在玻璃基板上制造显示面板。然而，苹果的micro OLED显示器将直接构建在芯片晶圆上，使其比常规OLED屏幕更小、更薄、更节能。</blockquote></p><p> These new screens are reportedly less than one inch wide and would be well-suited for AR devices like headsets and glasses, which need to be lightweight and last for a long time on a single charge.</p><p><blockquote>据报道，这些新屏幕的宽度不到一英寸，非常适合耳机和眼镜等AR设备，这些设备需要重量轻，一次充电可以持续很长时间。</blockquote></p><p> Nikkei's sources claim the screens are still being tested, and they will take \"several years\" to enter mass production -- which supports rumors that Apple will be launching AR devices over the next few years. The facility is also testing out larger micro-LED screens for upcoming Apple Watches, iPads, and MacBooks.</p><p><blockquote>日经新闻的消息人士称，这些屏幕仍在测试中，需要“几年时间”才能进入大规模生产——这支持了苹果将在未来几年内推出AR设备的传言。该工厂还在为即将推出的苹果手表、iPad和MacBook测试更大的微型LED屏幕。</blockquote></p><p> <b>How will this deal help Apple?</b></p><p><blockquote><b>这笔交易将如何帮助苹果？</b></blockquote></p><p> Apple's near-term goals are simple. It needs to keep selling more iPhones, which generated over half its revenue last year, to tether more users to its expanding ecosystem of services, which include the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple Pay, and other services.</p><p><blockquote>苹果的近期目标很简单。它需要继续向其不断扩大的服务生态系统（包括App Store、苹果音乐、苹果TV+、苹果Arcade、苹果Pay和其他服务）销售更多iPhone（去年收入的一半以上）。</blockquote></p><p> Meanwhile, it needs to keep refreshing its iPad, Mac, Watch, and AirPods segments. But looking further ahead, Apple will eventually need to launch a completely new line of hardware devices, and AR headsets and glasses will likely represent that next big leap.</p><p><blockquote>与此同时，它需要不断刷新其iPad、Mac、Watch和AirPods细分市场。但展望未来，苹果最终将需要推出一系列全新的硬件设备，而AR头显和眼镜可能会代表下一个重大飞跃。</blockquote></p><p> That's why Apple has boosted its presence in the AR market in recent years. It launched ARKit, a software development kit for AR apps on iOS, back in 2017. It added 3D-sensing cameras to its iPhones to encourage developers to create more AR apps and patented several designs for AR glasses.</p><p><blockquote>这就是为什么苹果近年来加大了在AR市场的影响力。早在2017年，它就推出了ARKit，这是一个用于iOS上AR应用程序的软件开发工具包。它在iPhone上添加了3D传感摄像头，以鼓励开发者创建更多的AR应用程序，并为AR眼镜的几项设计申请了专利。</blockquote></p><p> It also gobbled up smaller AR and VR companies, including Metaio, Flyby Media, SensoMotoric Instruments, and Akonia Holographics, and assembled a team of industry experts to develop new products. However, Apple already reportedly scrapped several of its ambitious AR/VR projects, and it's still unclear how the tech giant plans to proceed in the slippery, nascent market.</p><p><blockquote>它还吞并了较小的AR和VR公司，包括Metaio、Flyby Media、SensoMotoric Instruments和Akonia Holographics，并组建了一个行业专家团队来开发新产品。然而，据报道，苹果已经取消了几个雄心勃勃的AR/VR项目，目前还不清楚这家科技巨头计划如何在这个不稳定的新兴市场中前进。</blockquote></p><p> The latest rumors suggest Apple could launch an AR headset in 2022 and a pair of lightweight AR glasses in 2023. Those launch dates suggest Apple could wait for early movers like <b>Microsoft</b> and Magic Leap to expose the market's flaws before launching disruptive user-friendly products, as it previously did with MP3 players, smartphones, tablet computers, and smartwatches.</p><p><blockquote>最新传言称，苹果可能会在2022年推出一款AR头显，并在2023年推出一副轻量级AR眼镜。这些发布日期表明苹果可以等待这样的先行者<b>微软</b>Magic Leap在推出颠覆性的用户友好型产品之前揭露市场的缺陷，就像它之前在MP3播放器、智能手机、平板电脑和智能手表上所做的那样。</blockquote></p><p> If Apple's AR glasses gain mainstream momentum, it would diversify the company's hardware business away from the iPhone while locking more users into its walled garden. It could also pave the way for the eventual launch of the long-rumored \"Apple Car\" tethered to its AR services.</p><p><blockquote>如果苹果的AR眼镜获得主流势头，它将使该公司的硬件业务多元化，远离iPhone，同时将更多用户锁定在其围墙花园中。这也可能为传闻已久的与其AR服务相关的“苹果汽车”的最终推出铺平道路。</blockquote></p><p> <b>How will this deal help TSMC?</b></p><p><blockquote><b>这笔交易将如何帮助台积电？</b></blockquote></p><p> TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, has produced Apple's first-party chips for years. Apple accounted for just over a fifth of TSMC's revenue in 2020, with most of its orders boosting the 5nm and 7nm nodes, which accounted for 41% of its top line.</p><p><blockquote>台积电是全球最大的代工芯片制造商，多年来一直生产苹果的第一方芯片。2020年，苹果占台积电收入的五分之一多一点，其大部分订单都来自5纳米和7纳米节点，这两个节点占其营收的41%。</blockquote></p><p> TSMC's top rival,<b>Samsung</b>, also manufactures chips for Apple. However, Samsung also produces LCD and OLED displays for Apple's devices. Therefore, Apple's decision to partner with TSMC to produce micro OLED screens marks a deliberate shift away from Samsung, which could also have produced micro-LED and OLED displays with its in-house chip foundry.</p><p><blockquote>台积电的头号竞争对手，<b>三星</b>，还为苹果制造芯片。然而，三星也为苹果的设备生产LCD和OLED显示屏。因此，苹果决定与台积电合作生产micro OLED屏幕，标志着它有意远离三星，三星也可以通过其内部芯片代工厂生产micro-LED和OLED显示屏。</blockquote></p><p> It makes more sense for Apple to partner with TSMC, for two reasons: Samsung is still its biggest competitor in the smartphone market, and splitting its orders between two or more suppliers gives it more clout in price negotiations.</p><p><blockquote>苹果与台积电合作更有意义，原因有二：三星仍是其在智能手机市场最大的竞争对手，将订单分给两家或更多供应商，使其在价格谈判中拥有更大的影响力。</blockquote></p><p> Apple clearly benefits from this partnership, but it could also help TSMC reduce its dependence on the maturing smartphone market, which accounted for 48% of its revenue in 2020. As the AR market expands, other companies could also follow Apple's lead and tap TSMC to manufacture similar advanced screens for their devices -- which would open up new sources of revenue growth beyond semiconductors.</p><p><blockquote>苹果显然从这种合作关系中受益，但它也可以帮助台积电减少对成熟的智能手机市场的依赖，该市场在2020年占其收入的48%。随着AR市场的扩大，其他公司也可以效仿苹果，利用台积电为其设备制造类似的先进屏幕——这将开辟半导体之外的新收入增长来源。</blockquote></p><p> <b>The bottom line</b></p><p><blockquote><b>底线</b></blockquote></p><p> This deal won't move the needle for Apple or TSMC anytime soon. But it could still be a win-win deal over the long term -- Apple would reduce its dependence on Samsung and advance its AR plans, while TSMC would tighten its relationship with Apple and diversify its business away from smartphone chips.</p><p><blockquote>这笔交易不会很快对苹果或台积电产生影响。但从长远来看，这仍然可能是一笔双赢的交易——苹果将减少对三星的依赖并推进其AR计划，而台积电将加强与苹果的关系，并将其业务多元化，远离智能手机芯片。</blockquote></p><p></p>\n<div class=\"bt-text\">\n\n\n<p> 来源：<a href=\"https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/02/15/tsmc-could-soon-make-apple-ar-dreams-a-reality/\">Motley Fool</a></p>\n<p>为提升您的阅读体验，我们对本页面进行了排版优化</p>\n\n\n</div>\n</article>\n</div>\n</body>\n</html>\n","type":0,"thumbnail":"","relate_stocks":{"TSM":"台积电","AAPL":"苹果"},"source_url":"https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/02/15/tsmc-could-soon-make-apple-ar-dreams-a-reality/","is_english":true,"share_image_url":"https://static.laohu8.com/e9f99090a1c2ed51c021029395664489","article_id":"1146484369","content_text":"The world's largest contract chipmaker might be making Apple's most advanced displays.\nApple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is partnering with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) to produce micro OLED displays for its long-rumored augmented reality devices at a secretive facility in Taiwan, according to Nikkei Asia Review.\nThat Feb. 10 announcement is surprising since TSMC mainly manufactures semiconductors on silicon wafers instead of display panels on glass substrates. However, Apple's micro OLED displays will be built directly on chip wafers to make them smaller, thinner, and more power-efficient than regular OLED screens.\nThese new screens are reportedly less than one inch wide and would be well-suited for AR devices like headsets and glasses, which need to be lightweight and last for a long time on a single charge.\nNikkei's sources claim the screens are still being tested, and they will take \"several years\" to enter mass production -- which supports rumors that Apple will be launching AR devices over the next few years. The facility is also testing out larger micro-LED screens for upcoming Apple Watches, iPads, and MacBooks.\nHow will this deal help Apple?\nApple's near-term goals are simple. It needs to keep selling more iPhones, which generated over half its revenue last year, to tether more users to its expanding ecosystem of services, which include the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple Pay, and other services.\nMeanwhile, it needs to keep refreshing its iPad, Mac, Watch, and AirPods segments. But looking further ahead, Apple will eventually need to launch a completely new line of hardware devices, and AR headsets and glasses will likely represent that next big leap.\nThat's why Apple has boosted its presence in the AR market in recent years. It launched ARKit, a software development kit for AR apps on iOS, back in 2017. It added 3D-sensing cameras to its iPhones to encourage developers to create more AR apps and patented several designs for AR glasses.\nIt also gobbled up smaller AR and VR companies, including Metaio, Flyby Media, SensoMotoric Instruments, and Akonia Holographics, and assembled a team of industry experts to develop new products. However, Apple already reportedly scrapped several of its ambitious AR/VR projects, and it's still unclear how the tech giant plans to proceed in the slippery, nascent market.\nThe latest rumors suggest Apple could launch an AR headset in 2022 and a pair of lightweight AR glasses in 2023. Those launch dates suggest Apple could wait for early movers like Microsoft and Magic Leap to expose the market's flaws before launching disruptive user-friendly products, as it previously did with MP3 players, smartphones, tablet computers, and smartwatches.\nIf Apple's AR glasses gain mainstream momentum, it would diversify the company's hardware business away from the iPhone while locking more users into its walled garden. It could also pave the way for the eventual launch of the long-rumored \"Apple Car\" tethered to its AR services.\nHow will this deal help TSMC?\nTSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, has produced Apple's first-party chips for years. Apple accounted for just over a fifth of TSMC's revenue in 2020, with most of its orders boosting the 5nm and 7nm nodes, which accounted for 41% of its top line.\nTSMC's top rival,Samsung, also manufactures chips for Apple. However, Samsung also produces LCD and OLED displays for Apple's devices. Therefore, Apple's decision to partner with TSMC to produce micro OLED screens marks a deliberate shift away from Samsung, which could also have produced micro-LED and OLED displays with its in-house chip foundry.\nIt makes more sense for Apple to partner with TSMC, for two reasons: Samsung is still its biggest competitor in the smartphone market, and splitting its orders between two or more suppliers gives it more clout in price negotiations.\nApple clearly benefits from this partnership, but it could also help TSMC reduce its dependence on the maturing smartphone market, which accounted for 48% of its revenue in 2020. As the AR market expands, other companies could also follow Apple's lead and tap TSMC to manufacture similar advanced screens for their devices -- which would open up new sources of revenue growth beyond semiconductors.\nThe bottom line\nThis deal won't move the needle for Apple or TSMC anytime soon. But it could still be a win-win deal over the long term -- Apple would reduce its dependence on Samsung and advance its AR plans, while TSMC would tighten its relationship with Apple and diversify its business away from smartphone chips.","news_type":1,"symbols_score_info":{"TSM":0.9,"AAPL":0.9}},"isVote":1,"tweetType":1,"viewCount":258,"commentLimit":10,"likeStatus":false,"favoriteStatus":false,"reportStatus":false,"symbols":[],"verified":2,"subType":0,"readableState":1,"langContent":"EN","currentLanguage":"EN","warmUpFlag":false,"orderFlag":false,"shareable":true,"causeOfNotShareable":"","featuresForAnalytics":[],"commentAndTweetFlag":false,"andRepostAutoSelectedFlag":false,"upFlag":false,"length":4,"xxTargetLangEnum":"ORIG"},"commentList":[],"isCommentEnd":true,"isTiger":false,"isWeiXinMini":false,"url":"/m/post/382267763"}
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