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Aug 23, 2023

Apple Watch's switch to a Micro

Apple is rumoured to want to move the Apple Watch to a new Micro-LED display,

Apple is rumoured to want to move the Apple Watch to a new Micro-LED display, but reports of everything going in-house might have been premature.

Following news that Apple is ready to move the Apple Watch to a new in-house Micro-LED display and away from OLED, one display industry analyst has chimed in to confirm that is indeed the case - but Apple will still need help to make it happen.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previous reported Apple intends to use Micro-LED displays starting in 2024 or 2025, using parts that are designed in-house rather than by a third party like Samsung or LG Display. But a new report by analyst Ross Young adds further context, including the fact that oneof those two companies will still be on board after the transition.

Young took to Twitter to confirm that LG Display will begin production of Micro-LED parts starting in the second half of 2024, giving it enough time to produce panels for Apple. To that end, Young points to a Micro-LED Apple Watch taking place in 2025, not the 2024 window that had previously been suggested.

Gurman wasn't the first to suggest that Apple is moving to Micro-LED - analyst Jeff Pu reported the same previously, and this latest claim by Young adds further fuel to that particular fire.

The move to Micro-LED could allow Apple Watches to feature improved colour reproduction, better contrast, and get even brighter than previous models.

It isn't immediately clear which models Apple would move to Micro-LED first, however. The Apple Watch Ultra seems like the first logical step for the technology given its high-end price point and target audience. The increased brightness could also be beneficial to customers using the watch outdoors, too.

Apple isn't the only one possibly taking a look at Micro-LED technology for its wearables, of course. A new report has Samsung considering the same thing for its own wearables, too.

Oliver has written about technology for more than a decade, spanning some of the biggest properties in the space including Macworld, iMore, Lifewire, and Input. With a focus on mobile, gaming, and anything with a plug or a battery, he's another member of the Pocket-Lint family with too many empty boxes and not enough places to put them.