Just earlier this month, I wrote:

One day down the road, I expect Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) to adopt OLED technology in iDevices. The Mac maker recently filed numerous patents for OLEDs, including one involving improved power efficiency and another on how they may be implemented in future iPads. Another three (all related to touchscreens) were uncovered more than a year ago, so you know it's on Cupertino's radar.

That was a small component of why I bought Universal Display (Nasdaq: PANL). I conceded that any type of OLED adoption on the Mac maker's part would be a long way away, if at all. Well, evidence continues to build that Apple is interested in one day including OLED displays in its products.

AppleInsider recently uncovered a freshly published patent application titled "OLED Driving Technique." The application outlines a way to improve brightness control on such displays. Apple originally filed for it in October 2010, but it was just publicly published last week.

The patent application uses a MacBook Pro as an example of a device that could benefit from an OLED screen, although it says it could be applied to any device, including smartphones and TVs.

In November, Apple also filed another patent application on how to implement an OLED backlight for a traditional LCD display, with the main advantage being that an OLED backlight could be thinner and have better light uniformity. As Apple continues to build its IP related to OLEDs, the case for seeing Apple one day adopting the technology similarly builds steam.

The connection is also apparent as UDC's two largest customers, Samsung and LG Display (NYSE: LPL), supply displays for Apple. There are still plenty of hurdles holding back this scenario, like manufacturing costs, supply constraints, and blue OLED pixel lifespans.

Available supply is particularly challenging, since when Apple enters a component market, it mercilessly corners it, leaving little left for competitors as it locks down supply with billions of dollars of forward contracts. After all, it needs to make sure it can build all the devices it's selling.

I still don't think this will happen anytime soon, but I do think it will happen eventually.

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