Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,618
39,487


Apple supplier ams OSRAM on Wednesday announced it would "re-assess its microLED strategy" after a "cornerstone project" was "unexpectedly cancelled" that day. The company's stock plunged nearly 40% following the news, earlier shared by AppleInsider.

Apple-Watch-Ultra-2-hero-feature-white.jpg

Counterpoint Research's Display Supply Chain Consultants told MacRumors that it believes this project related to the rumored Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display. The research firm said low production yields, along with high costs and risk, are likely the primary reasons for the project being canceled with ams OSRAM. The firm said it remains to be seen if Apple looks for another supplier, or sticks with OLED displays for the Apple Watch.

ams OSRAM said "discussions with the related customer are ongoing," so an Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display is not completely ruled out, and it may just be further delayed. The device was expected to launch in 2025 or 2026, depending on the source, but it may take even longer to be released, if ever, given this latest development.

Apple is believed to have been actively developing microLED technology since it acquired California-based company LuxVue in 2014. Benefits of microLED displays compared to OLED displays typically include increased brightness, improved power efficiency, higher contrast ratio, and more, but the technology is still expensive.

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra With MicroLED Display Seemingly 'Canceled' For Now
 
Not another cancellation.

What's next?

Apple decides to cancel Apple
The smart ring appears to be the next wearable battlefield this year

Samsung and Apple expand the battlefield with smart rings. While Samsung Electronics has formalized the launch of the smart ring-shaped wearable device 'Galaxy Ring' in the second half of this year, Apple is also steadily applying for patents related to 'Apple' and coordinating the timing of release. The growth of the global smart ring market has also gained momentum due to the participation of Big Tech.

According to Business Research Insight, a global market research institute on the 20th, the size of the global smart ring market is expected to increase from $20 million last year (about 26.5 billion won) to $197.03 million (about 260 billion won) in 2031. It is a high growth of about 10 times over 8 years, with an average annual rate of 28.9%. The ecosystem of related parts such as biosensors installed in wearable devices is also expected to be activated.

=======
The question with the watch is it has always duplicated the iPhone somewhat except for its sensors hence the smart rings battle royal upcoming. :cool:
 
The question with the watch is it has always duplicated the iPhone somewhat except for its sensors hence the smart rings battle royal upcoming. :cool:

The Apple Watch is, hands down, a better smartphone than the original iPhone by any measure you might wish to consider — including call quality.

Yes, it can’t compare with modern smartphones, of course. There’s plenty that smartphones have evolved to do that the Apple Watch can’t do. But don’t forget that the original iPhone was no slouch … which means that the Apple Watch is a darned good smartphone.

So, for those who want a minimalist smartphone that does everything that smartphones were originally designed to do and an awful lot more (especially activity and health), the Apple Watch is fantastic — and not something that any ring can replicate.

Not to suggest that there isn’t a market for rings! Just that they’re two entirely different markets, even if the devices share some of the same functions.

Then again, the iPhone is a much better personal computer than the original iMac — and more powerful than the famous Cray X-MP supercomputer, too; overlapping functions is not at all remarkable in modern computing.

b&
 
“I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things. You have to pick carefully.” – Steve Jobs

It’s worth remembering, for instance, that Apple originally began developing a tablet computer in the early 2000s, but the technology wasn’t ready, so they set the project aside, poured some of the R&D into the iPhone, and eventually released the iPad at the end of the decade.
 
This whole rumor always sounded like something that was not going to happen to me. MicroLED is nowhere near the stage of mass manufacturing. And even if they get it on Apple Watch eventually, it's not going to scale up easily to iPhone, iPad and Macbook. Going to need a few more breakthroughs before it becomes viable.
 
Apple being Apple. They went for the most challenging design by building a tiny display.

Most people don't seem to be aware microLED scaling is inverted unlike other display technologies.

With microLED, making small displays is more difficult than large because of the density of the LEDs and heat. Apple should have started with a larger display like a 32-inch monitor, followed by MacBook, then iPad, and finally Watch.
 
The smart ring appears to be the next wearable battlefield this year

Samsung and Apple expand the battlefield with smart rings. While Samsung Electronics has formalized the launch of the smart ring-shaped wearable device 'Galaxy Ring' in the second half of this year, Apple is also steadily applying for patents related to 'Apple' and coordinating the timing of release. The growth of the global smart ring market has also gained momentum due to the participation of Big Tech.

According to Business Research Insight, a global market research institute on the 20th, the size of the global smart ring market is expected to increase from $20 million last year (about 26.5 billion won) to $197.03 million (about 260 billion won) in 2031. It is a high growth of about 10 times over 8 years, with an average annual rate of 28.9%. The ecosystem of related parts such as biosensors installed in wearable devices is also expected to be activated.

=======
The question with the watch is it has always duplicated the iPhone somewhat except for its sensors hence the smart rings battle royal upcoming. :cool:
This has already been reported on and Apple is “exploring” smart rings aka IF Apple releases a smart ring it is YEARS away. They have had many smart ring patents dating many years back, and by applying patents does not mean there is an imminent release of a smart ring.
 
Well there goes the only reason I’d ever buy one of these tHingis. Hard to believe it’s been 8+ years they’ve been talking about microLED in the Apple Watch…. I remember not being sure if i should buy a series 2 cus I thought the 3 was gonna get it 😂
 
Another Apple project was considered too ambitious for the „evangelists“ and gets cancelled.
Tim has no plan what to do next, but it would be so simple to get Apple on track.

Just follow the „Apple, just works“ path and everything will be alright.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: xalea and klasma
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.