While Apple notes that the design of conventional LEDs do nothing to maximize efficiency, the patent discusses how Apple will reflect the extra light created by a display and use it to improve the sharpness of the screen while at the same time consuming less energy. The patent application says that display panels using the technology that Apple hopes to patent will include “light-emitting diodes that each have a cavity that includes a reflective polarizer, cholesteric liquid crystal layer, or other light recycling layer in addition to a reflective anode and partially reflective cathode.”
The patent application was filed on February 26th of this year and published today.