Bryan Jones has taken close up images of the Apple Watch screen, magnified such it is possible to discern the individual pixels and sub-pixels. The images show the arrangements of red, green and blue light that make up the images users see on the Apple Watch Retina Display.
Jones compares the screen technology with that of iPhone screens (shown below). They look quite different likely due to the fact that Apple Watch uses an AMOLED display rather than a LCD. iPhone pixels are tightly packed together with the red, green and blue aligned vertically. With the Apple Watch, the blue sub-pixels act as spacers for the stacked red and green sub-pixels. Jones also notes that the imaging specs are a lot smaller than compared with an iPhone which seems to be in aid of maximising battery life. When zoomed in to this level, it means you can see a lot more black space. Jones says this contributes to the Apple Watch’s excellent contrast ratios.
In one of the images, you can also see part of the Force Touch pressure sensitivity system. By shining a bright fibre optic light at the display, Jones could photograph the contact elements (visible in the image as orange specs). However, Jones cannot explain how these elements work in detecting force. For reference, here’s how Apple describes the Force Touch technology in the Apple Watch on its ‘Technology’ marketing page:
In addition to recognizing touch, Apple Watch senses force, adding a new dimension to the user interface. Force Touch uses tiny electrodes around the flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press, and trigger instant access to a range of contextually specific controls
Force Touch is expected to arrive on the ‘iPhone 6S’, as well as the next-generation of iPads, as part of Apple’s fall announcements.
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It sounds like force-touch uses the same technique as the old touch display monitors which had strain guages mounted in the corners of the glass. The capacitive touch sensors tell you where and the strain guages tell you how much force.
In case anyone cares…
The blue “pixels” are the largest because on OLED displays the color blue has the shortest lifespan 20,000 hours) so to help prevent burnout after ~3 years they over compensated on the blue pixels.
Interesting.
Why is the red in a dot pattern?
MY EYES. MY EYES.
I believe the Force Touch sensor is in an element surrounding and bonded to the edges of the display. As force is applied, it detects it as strain in the sensor element. Probably changes in resistance. I seem to remember the part pointed out in the Chipworks analysis.
Not sure what should be showing up between sub-pixels – perhaps parts of the control circuitry.
Interesting images. Thanks!
DIY TIP: put a small drop of water on your retina display to see the pixels. :)