Apple Watch Ultra With MicroLED Display Seemingly 'Canceled' For Now

[MacRumors]

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.

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

 

[sniffies]

Not another cancellation.

What's next?

Apple decides to cancel Apple

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Still happy with my AW Ultra ll. Going to rock this stellar performing device for a long time. Same goes for my 14 Pro.

 

[jz0309]

Apple is believed to have been actively developing microLED technology since it acquired California-based company LuxVue in 2014.

so 10 years in the making with nothing ready for production ...
the current Ultra 2 display works quite well for me, misruled certainly would not have been a reason to upgrade for me ...

 

[nfl46]

Lol. So instead of Apple doing layoffs, they just decided let’s cancel every darn thing. Lol. That’s one way to save money I guess.

 

[tomtad]

And we think you would have loved it!

Seriously though there seems to be some big changes happening internally at Apple. Somethings off.

 

[Kylo83]

The display in the watch is to small to see a noticeable difference

 

[Realityck]

Not another cancellation.

What's next?

Apple decides to cancel Apple

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

삼성·애플 참전…스마트링 시장 10배 커진다

삼성과 애플이 스마트링으로 전장을 넓힌다. 삼성전자가 올 하반기 스마트반지 형태 웨어러블 기기 ‘갤럭시링’ 출시를 공식화한 가운데 애플도 ‘애플링’ 관련 특허를 꾸준히 출원하며 출시 시점을 조율하고 있다. 빅테크 참전으로 글로벌 스마트링 시장 성장세도 탄력이 붙었다.

www.etnews.com

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.

 

[madmin]

This Apple has been over Cook'd

 

[tennisproha]

at this point it seems microLED may not be a feasible technology

 

[vegetassj4]

I was lookin forward to: Apple Watch Ultra 3, the most Ultra watch we've ever created.

Though My AWU 1 is doing just fine and has 98% battery health remaining

 

[swiftapplefan]

What’s up with Apple canceling projects that started in 2014?

 

[StuBeck]

at this point it seems microLED may not be a feasible technology

Considering my Apple Watch S6 was definitely getting it, and then I think 3 watches after that definitely were...and now this one isn't, I think its dead for the next few years.

 

[spazzcat]

Not another cancellation.

What's next?

Apple decides to cancel Apple

I wonder if something that was rumored to be coming can be rumored to be canceled ...

 

[BenGoren]

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

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&

 

[hieranonymous]

“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.

 

[McWetty]

Not another cancellation.

What's next?

Apple decides to cancel Apple

Apple will cancel Mother Nature next…

 

[derdante]

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.

 

[JPack]

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.

 

[klasma]

Bye-bye microLED.

 

[Abobrek]

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

삼성·애플 참전…스마트링 시장 10배 커진다

삼성과 애플이 스마트링으로 전장을 넓힌다. 삼성전자가 올 하반기 스마트반지 형태 웨어러블 기기 ‘갤럭시링’ 출시를 공식화한 가운데 애플도 ‘애플링’ 관련 특허를 꾸준히 출원하며 출시 시점을 조율하고 있다. 빅테크 참전으로 글로벌 스마트링 시장 성장세도 탄력이 붙었다.

www.etnews.com

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.

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.

 

[Rychiar]

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 😂

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple is believed to have been actively developing microLED technology since it acquired California-based company LuxVue in 2014.

so 10 years in the making with nothing ready for production ...

Wasn't LuxVue an Intel subsidiary? 🤣

 

[AgeOfSpiracles]

Years ago, I knew microLED was going to be slow to come about... but I definitely didn't think it would be graphene or fusion levels of slow.

 

[AndiG]

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.