OLEDs already don't have backlighting...Each pixel produces its own light. That's exactly how you get 0 lumens when you display a black pixel - the pixel is off. It produces no light.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Watch on Track to Include Advanced Micro-LED Display 'As Soon As 2018'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
OLEDs already don't have backlighting...Each pixel produces its own light. That's exactly how you get 0 lumens when you display a black pixel - the pixel is off. It produces no light.
Correct. Which is why I mentioned Micro LED eliminates the need for backlighting. I wasn't suggesting OLED uses backlighting currently.
What I'd really like is some new watch faces that are not gimmicky like Siri or hippy chick like Kaleidoscope or childish like Woody. I don't know why Apple can't allow users to truly design their own face or at least sell other "real" faces on the App Store. The new faces may be cute for demo at an event but real life it just looks like Apple is marketing to tween and teen girls.
And I mean no offense to anybody that appreciates Toy story or animated cartoon watch faces, but they seem juvenile and sophomoric to me. I like a lot of the first watch faces that launched in 2015, and that's what I would like to see more of a style or extension of. Perhaps more of a Hermes style Watch face or sophisticated look.
Just let me choose from more complications on my photo Watch face and I'd be happy. As excited as I am to have buzz on my wrist, I can't imagine it being my go to face.
Haha I'm not a teen girl or a tween(whatever that is).
Yes please. So tired of the Utility Face but nowhere else to go really for a simple analog face. Maybe Apple is saving those for AW3.
I'm confused by the follwing'
"with rumors specifically surrounding a new micro-LED-powered Apple Watch beginning in summer 2016."
You do know IT'S NOW THE SUMMER OF 2017
"with rumors specifically surrounding a new micro-LED-powered Apple Watch beginning in summer 2016."
You do know IT'S NOW THE SUMMER OF 2017
In his/her defence, the word "eliminates" actually does suggest that Apple Watch uses backlighting currently. Otherwise it would simply "continue" not using a backlight, rather than "eliminating" something that is already there
Yep. Me too! Had always on with Pebble (and obviously now with my regular watch since the Pebble died). Don't want to go without it.
Technically, Your incorrect. One major advantage of OLED displays is their per pixel power management. With most LCD/LED displays, the entire backlight must be turned on even if only a single sub-pixel needs to be activated. On the other hand, for OLEDs, each individual sub-pixel is independently powered, which provides tremendous flexibility in display power management, and NOT requiring a Fully backlit display. An all black OLED display uses no power, and a screen with a black background will use only a small amount of power compared to an white background. That’s why it’s better to have a black background on mobile OLED displays. In addition, a black background improves screen readability in high ambient light compared to a white background.
Also, when Micro- LED becomes present in the future, it will eliminate the need for traditional back lighting with LED models.
Last edited:
So I'll be able to watch Wonder Woman on my watch in brighter brights & more vivid colours & deeper blacks. Yippee!!
I was talking about the Gear S3 Frontier being too big for me. It has an Always On Display capability for downloadable Watch faces that look as good as the watch faces that are on only when you activate the display's fully on mode. Sorry it's hard to explain without showing you what I mean. Also the downloadable faces for the Frontier are incredible looking. Apple really has nothing like them. Gear S2 comes close but isn't big enough to power the kinds of faces the Gear S3 can power.
At any rate, the Frontier is such a huge watch that you can have displays like this without wearing down the battery before the day is over. Additionally you can throw other tasks on it like fitness tracking and still have battery life to take you through the end of the day and beyond.
I know an Apple Watch display can be set to Always on, but unless something has changed with series 2, which I've not owned for very long, it's not feasible to keep it on all the time without eating away at the battery. Especially not if you want to do fitness tracking. Has this changed for Series 2?
And as much as I love Apple Watch faces, they really can't compare to the beauty of some of the ones I've bought for my Gear S2 watches. And some of the ones my husband has for his Frontier are jaw dropping!
I got back to your post and indeed yes it was there and I should have seen that. My loss!
This will be Big, IMO. Apple has been perfecting Micro LED for quite a few years now in the R&D Facility in Taiwan. This could be a breakthrough for Apple. 
They could actually combine longer life and an always-on OPTION in the same generation.