Apple to Begin Mass Shipments of Vision Pro Headsets in January
According to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning to start mass shipments of its Vision Pro headsets in the first week of January, earlier than anticipated. These highly anticipated headsets are expected to hit stores by the end of January.
New Model of Vision Pro with RGB OLEDoS Technology Coming in 2027
In addition to the imminent release of the Vision Pro headsets, Apple is reportedly working on a new model of its mixed reality (MR) device, also called Vision Pro, set to launch in 2027. The upcoming version will feature RGB OLEDoS (Silicon-based OLED) technology, which is a significant upgrade from the current model's WOLED (White OLED) with a color filter (CF).
Advantages of RGB OLEDoS Technology
The RGB OLEDoS technology offers several advantages over the WOLED+CF models. It produces light and color directly from adjacent RGB sub-pixels on a single layer, eliminating the need for a color filter. As a result, it provides significantly higher brightness compared to the WOLED+CF OLEDoS technology, which relies on white light filtered through RGB color filters for color generation.
Significance of RGB OLEDoS Technology
Initially developed for military use by U.S. company eMagin and now owned by Samsung Display, RGB OLEDoS technology represents a major breakthrough in display technology. It offers a brighter and more efficient display compared to the current WOLED+CF OLEDoS technology.
Challenges with WOLED+CF OLEDoS Production
Market research firm Omdia has revealed that the current production of WOLED+CF OLEDoS faces limitations in yield and capacity. Various companies, including Sony, are involved in the production, but Sony's OLEDoS production has a yield of less than 50%. In contrast, RGB OLEDoS production, although not yet widespread, offers a more efficient and brighter display technology.
Competition from Meta and Samsung
Meta (formerly Facebook) is also striving to compete with Apple's Vision Pro headset. Despite CEO Mark Zuckerberg's skepticism about Apple's technological advancements, Meta is reportedly exploring different display technologies for its XR (extended reality) devices, including LCoS, OLEDoS, and LEDoS. However, their current offering, the Quest, does not match the capabilities of Apple's Vision Pro. Meta's pursuit of competitive MR technology seems to be a more extended journey, potentially lagging behind Apple's advancements in spatial computing.
Samsung, another key player in the XR headset market, is also working on its own versions. However, they are not expected to rival Apple's Vision Pro in the near future, highlighting Apple's leading position in the MR technology space.
