Apple buys LuxVue for its low-power, micro-LED display tech

Apple may soon tap micro-LEDs for its next generation of devices.

Apple tacitly confirmed its purchase of LuxVue, a low-power, micro-LED display maker, in a statement today, following a TechCrunch report about the acquisition.

“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” Apple said.

LuxVue has kept a low profile since its founding in 2009. It makes power-efficient, next generation-LED displays for consumer electronics. It has filed a number of patents that could help devices maintain long battery life while keeping screen brightness high — an improvement Apple fans would love to see in the tech giant’s new hardware.

Micro-LED technology is more likely to show up in Apple’s smaller devices — like an iWatch — as it’s better suited to wearables than phones or tablets. The new version of Google Glass is rumored to include micro-LED tech.

LuxVue has raised $43 million in venture capital from Kleiner Perkins, iD Ventures America, and others — $25 million of which it grabbed late last year. Kleiner Perkins lists LuxVue’s status as “acquired.”