The iPhone 5 could be the first Apple device to feature an OLED screen, according to three leaked patents.
Patently Apple has posted a full and incredibly in-depth breakdown (check it out if you're having trouble sleeping), essentially showing Apple patents for an OLED screen. The site explains: “the patents are a bit technical and without purpose in mind. There's little to no guidance as to what Apple is thinking. It's really about the raw technological basics.”
The image released with the patents clearly shows a handheld device, either a smartphone or tablet. Apple has apparently confirmed as much.
OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Device (or Diode). It offers bright, colourful images, high contrast, low power consumption, and a high viewing angle.
The current iPhone 4 uses an LCD display, which is made up of separate layers. OLEDs, on the other hand, are monolithic, and don’t require backlights.
Monolithic is the best word ever.
