_Why OLED for the Apple MacBook Pro ‘Magic Toolbar’?
While one of the more poorly kept Apple (AAPL) secrets, the ‘Magic toolbar’, as it was called until Apple marketing realized how weird the word ‘magic’ is when describing a mobile device, is a ‘small step for Apple-kind’ toward the potential adoption of OLED in a more general way. The strip is thinner than any LCD strip would be, given the lack of a backlight, and represents a second test of OLED technology for Apple, after the Apple Watch.
We believe the strip is produced by Samsung Display (pvt) on its A2 OLED lines, running, in this case, on a rigid substrate, but given its relatively small surface area, will make little difference to overall demand at Samsung Display. Apple is taking small, baby steps toward shifting its display technology, likely after making a bit of a misstep when funding a project to create sapphire covers for the iPhone, but the CE industry, particularly the mobile segment, is no longer one where brands can take their time with new technologies or designs, as competition from aggressive Chinese brands pushes designers toward a more proactive feature development cycle. This pressure will have consequences, such as the Note 7 battery issue, but that is the nature of the beast, and while such small steps, like the MacBook Pro touch strip, are nice to see, the question remains as to why no touch on the MacBook Pro screen instead? It is not like touch is a new technology, and Apple should have little trouble convincing consumers to pay up for a higher-than-average touch system that does not degrade the display, so while we are happy to see Apple moving in the right direction, and understand their caution, especially after the Note 7 debacle, will consumers allow them the luxury of time, when others are moving at a more rapid pace? The MacBook Pro will be a good test of the durability of Apple’s loyal customer base.
We believe the strip is produced by Samsung Display (pvt) on its A2 OLED lines, running, in this case, on a rigid substrate, but given its relatively small surface area, will make little difference to overall demand at Samsung Display. Apple is taking small, baby steps toward shifting its display technology, likely after making a bit of a misstep when funding a project to create sapphire covers for the iPhone, but the CE industry, particularly the mobile segment, is no longer one where brands can take their time with new technologies or designs, as competition from aggressive Chinese brands pushes designers toward a more proactive feature development cycle. This pressure will have consequences, such as the Note 7 battery issue, but that is the nature of the beast, and while such small steps, like the MacBook Pro touch strip, are nice to see, the question remains as to why no touch on the MacBook Pro screen instead? It is not like touch is a new technology, and Apple should have little trouble convincing consumers to pay up for a higher-than-average touch system that does not degrade the display, so while we are happy to see Apple moving in the right direction, and understand their caution, especially after the Note 7 debacle, will consumers allow them the luxury of time, when others are moving at a more rapid pace? The MacBook Pro will be a good test of the durability of Apple’s loyal customer base.
RSS Feed