Apple is continuing on its quest for innovative technology – having filed applications for three patents. The United States Patent and Trademark Office says the patents involve quantum dot-enhanced displays.
The patent details and the related technology are complex. For starters, the applications include: "Light mixture for a display using quantum dots," "Backlight dimming control for a display utilizing quantum dots," and "MEMS [micro-electromechancial systems] shutter control for a display utilizing quantum dots."
Basically, news reports said that quantum dot-enhanced displays offer an improved viewing experience over the use of electronic device screens. With this technology, a device could provide “richer colors, better off-axis viewing and overall better performance when compared to a conventional LCD screen,” according to Apple Insider. News reports said that quantum dot-enhanced displays have benefits over LED and OLED, as well as the LCD screens.
“The main advantage of quantum dots…is improved display quality, so it makes sense that Apple would chase this carrot, as it has in the past led the pack in terms of mobile device display quality (the Retina display stands out especially),” TechCrunch adds.
Beyond these three patent applications, in December Apple filed another patent related to quantum dot-enhanced displays. Given the flurry of patent applications, Apple may sometime in the future offer products – possibly iPads or iPhones – with quantum dot-enhanced displays. It is not clear when the products will be launched or available commercially from Apple. According to TechCrunch, the technology is used now by Sony and other makers of flat-screen televisions.
The patent applications state that Shawn R. Gettemy, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou and David A. Doyle are inventors of the MEMS shutter control and light mixture technology. Chenhua You and Jean-Jacques P. Drolet are inventors of the backlight dimming control tech, the application adds.
Edited by
Alisen Downey 
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