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Apple acquires low-power, micro LED display maker LuxVue Technology

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Update: Apple confirmed the purchase with its usual boilerplate statement to TechCrunch:Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

Apple has acquired LuxVue Technology, a company that develops low-power, microLED-based display technology for consumer tech products, according to a report from TechCrunch.

LuxVue had managed to remain fairly quiet over the past few years, and what we know is that the company develops low-power, micro-LED-based displays for consumer electronics. We’ve heard Apple acquired the company to add to their hardware innovations area.

Apple has not yet confirmed the purchase, but TechCrunch adds that it’s “heard Apple acquired the company to add to their hardware innovations area.” 

LuxVue Technology, previously known as Papierlos Corporation, was founded in 2009 and has been in the news a few times throughout raising $43 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins and others, but has for the most part remained quiet while developing its next-generation micro-LED technology. The company hasn’t shared many details about what it’s working on, but it has a number of patents for its low-power micro-LED technology that could potentially offer better battery life while retaining screen brightness compared to traditional display technologies.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment about the acquisition but have not heard back.

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Comments

  1. shm1ck83 - 10 years ago

    Let me guess on what Apple will reply with.

    Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.

  2. Kevin Rye (@RyeMAC3) - 10 years ago

    iWatch, here we come!

    • jrox16 - 10 years ago

      Kind of late for an iWatch related acquisition no? Isn’t the thing supposed to be released in the fall of this year? That would require the iWatch to already exist and be in testing behind locked rooms in Cupertino, with full scale production starting sometime this summer.

      • You mean like has already been reported as being in production in small quantities in another article this week, just in time for them to make it to WWDC maybe one for each developer to use to develop apps for ready for the full launch in the fall.

      • Apple could have been working closely with the company before the purchase, and now the purchase has finally gone through.

    • Pierre Calixte - 10 years ago

      This tech is probably going to be applied across all product lines not just a watch.

  3. Andy Brooks - 10 years ago

    They are designing a new keyboard for Macs that has 50% fewer keys. They keys will be made of glass and each will contain a mini LED display so the key’s face can change depending on cap size, language, fonts being used, app input, emoticons, you name it! This new keyboard will free up space for a much larger palm rest area allowing the entire plan rest area to be the trackpad and function as a drawing pad for artist.

  4. LuxWhat? Seriously, Tim. Is this some kind of joke? You either do acquisitions or you don’t. You’re either in or out. And now it’s time to go big. I mean like Tesla big. And why stop there? Why don’t you grab Netflix while you’re at it? Show ’em analysts how you can spend $15B without a blink. Shove that cash in their mouth and then buy Nintendo just to make your point.

    • wow you obviously know nothing about business if you think that they should just go ahead and do that. In a business you have to look towards the future. you can’t just go and spend your money without thinking about everything first. How will it affect business? Is this really necessary? Do people really need this? How much damage would this do if it were to fail? think about both negative and positive outcomes. Its like saying that you are going to start a business with like $500 when you need $1000 to to actually do it.

  5. tijeladeacai - 10 years ago

    Amazing technology that nobody is using.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.