Apple Glasses, Apple's rumored pair of mixed reality lenses, may feature a dedicated micro OLED display made in partnership with the company's longtime chip supplier.

According to a new report by Nikkei Asia, Apple and TSMC are jointly developing micro OLED displays that are "much thinner and smaller" than the OLED panels found in smartphones and TVs. Micro OLED technology is also "more suitable" for wearable devices such as AR glasses because it requires less power.

Not to be confused with microLED TV technology, which is gaining popularity in the home entertainment space, micro OLED is structured differently than existing LCD and OLED displays. Micro OLEDs are structured differently from existing LCD and OLED displays and are designed on very small wafer substrates rather than the glass substrates used for larger screens.

According to Nikkei sources, the technology is in the prototype stage, with current prototypes "less than an inch in size."

Creating a new kind of display is not an easy task. That is why sources also state that it will take several years for micro OLEDs to reach mass production in Apple hardware.

So what is the timeline for Apple Glasses? If Apple is committed to including TSMC's micro OLED display in the first AR glasses, then most of the release date leaks we have seen so far are probably off the mark. Inside sources put the release date between spring 2021 and the end of 2023.

Nevertheless, the micro OLED could be planned as the next generation of Apple Glass. The first generation could be released earlier, for example, with an improved design as shown in this patent. Nikkei's sources may have unreliable information. Although Nikkei is a proven site, it is always wise to take Apple Glass rumors with a grain of salt.

The two companies are reportedly working out of a top-secret facility in Taiwan, where Apple relocated at least some of its AirPods and Apple Watch production last year. It makes sense that Apple would test how AR glasses work in relation to headphones and wearable products, but that's just my curiosity working.