MicroLED Apple Watch Ultra Appears to Be Slated for 2025

[MacRumors]

Apple's first microLED Apple Watch will launch in 2025, display analyst Ross Young said again today. Young previously suggested the 2025 timeline in January, but he claims that new information from Apple supplier Osram confirms the timeline.

Osram in its 4Q 2022 earnings call said that it plans to begin reporting revenues from its microLED technology in 2025, with Young indicating this information pertains to a future microLED Apple Watch. Osram's full statement:

Let me now provide additional information related to our development and industrialization program for our leading small structure size microLED technology. Based on the latest available information and its assessment, we can add that we currently expect to start reporting relevant revenues from our microLED technology in 2025.

I can also confirm and emphasize that the customer engagement in this area is very deep, significant and active. The market feedback we received clearly confirms that we hold a strategic leadership position in small structure size microLED technology, and that we are the front runner for high volume industrialization of this next generation technology.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Apple is working on a microLED Apple Watch, such as analyst Jeff Pu, but other rumors pointed to a 2024 launch. Young does not believe we will see the new display technology in an Apple Watch until spring 2025.

Young has not offered details on the size of the display, but prior information suggests that it will measure in at 2.1 inches diagonally, which would make it appropriate for the larger Apple Watch Ultra. Introduced last September, the current Apple Watch Ultra features a 1.92-inch display, larger than the 1.77-inch display of the Series 8. microLED is still an emerging technology that display manufacturers are working to perfect, so it makes sense that it would be introduced first in the high-end Apple Watch.

microLED technology uses microscopic LEDs that form pixels, offering more accurate color, high contrast ratio for improved HDR and viewing in suboptimal lighting conditions, support for viewing at wider angles, smaller chance of screen burn-in over time compared to technologies like OLED, fast response times and low latency for higher fps support, and reduced energy usage for improved efficiency.

Apple is still early in the development of a microLED Apple Watch, and so the timelines could shift over the course of the next year. Young often provides accurate information thanks to his connections in the display industry, but sometimes his timing turns out to be off as Apple's plans evolve.

Article Link: MicroLED Apple Watch Ultra Appears to Be Slated for 2025

 

[MayaUser]

finally the display goat tech is happening.....2-3 years later
Hopefully Apple will push hard this micro_led into its products but also into the industry...microLed is the future for the next decades

 

[macsplusmacs]

Coincidently, so is my next Ultra purchase.

 

[MacLawyer]

Keeping my Watch 7 until it either explodes or falls apart. 😂

 

[Coreymac84]

Keeping my Watch 7 until it either explodes or falls apart. 😂

Same. Someone will have to take my Series 7 Titanium from my cold, dead hands. They will need to bring back Ti for the "normal" watch sizes for me to consider......in 4 years atleast.

 

[McWetty]

My AWU is probably going to last me 3-4 years. Maybe more. Gonna have to really wow me to get me to upgrade from it.

 

[jz0309]

So this would be 3 years after 1st introduction of the Ultra,!I may upgrade then, or not

 

[_Spinn_]

Nuts. I’m planning on getting an Ultra this year. Hopefully Apple has a refresh planned for this year too. So far I haven’t seen any rumors about a new Ultra coming this year.

 

[GMShadow]

This is why I don't buy the OLED iPad and Mac rumors.

Why would Apple be going 'all in' on mLED only to go back to OLED?

 

[klasma]

This is why I don't buy the OLED iPad and Mac rumors.

Why would Apple be going 'all in' on mLED only to go back to OLED?

Unproven tech, and not all display tech works equally well at all screen sizes. The latter is why we only have mini-LED on the 12.9” iPad. Also, manufacturing capacities that need to be built up. Maybe micro-LED works out and will come to the iPhone in 2027 and later to the iPad. And maybe it won’t. Better plan for OLED now for the bigger screens where we know it works.

 

[GMShadow]

Unproven tech, and not all display tech works equally well at all screen sizes. The latter is why we only have mini-LED on the 12.9” iPad. Also, manufacturing capacities that need to be built up. Maybe micro-LED works out and will come to the iPhone in 2027 and later to the iPad. And maybe it won’t. Better plan for OLED now for the bigger screens where we know it works.

But it doesn't work. OLED still suffers burn in issues on static images (much more common on an iPad or Mac), while LED is still fully functional. This is changing out for the sake of changing out.

 

[alexandr]

I'm more interested in AW's ability to take temperature... Hopefully next year's models will have that.

 

[Nautilus007]

These headlines are a joke.
One day, 2024, 2025, delayed to 2026

 

[klasma]

But it doesn't work. OLED still suffers burn in issues on static images (much more common on an iPad or Mac), while LED is still fully functional. This is changing out for the sake of changing out.

I use a 3-year-old Samsung OLED tablet (because Apple doesn’t make one and I wanted true blacks in the dark) and haven’t seen any burn-in yet. It works well enough for what it is.

 

[acblue94]

Nuts. I’m planning on getting an Ultra this year. Hopefully Apple has a refresh planned for this year too. So far I haven’t seen any rumors about a new Ultra coming this year.

Does it really matter. The Ultra is great watch, just buy it.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

When the rumor of microLED first started floating around, the timeline was 2025/26. But a small device like the Watch could show up late 2024. I don’t think they would break the normal fall timeframe release for this product line.

 

[DTphonehome]

Anyone know what band that is on the watch in the article pic?

 

[fatTribble]

Keeping my Watch 7 until it either explodes or falls apart. 😂

I’ve said the same about my Series 4! He keeps chugging along.

 

[haddy]

Same. Someone will have to take my Series 7 Titanium from my cold, dead hands. They will need to bring back Ti for the "normal" watch sizes for me to consider......in 4 years atleast.

Same again. Series 7.. 45, SS.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Keeping my Watch 7 until it either explodes or falls apart. 😂

Still using my Series 3. On the train yester evening, saw someone with a Series 3 and iPhone 14 Pro.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Coincidently, so is my next Ultra purchase.

I love having the Ultra. I waited for that level of product to finally get an Apple Watch. I have no problem making it my backup in 2025.

 

[timerickson]

If it launches Late Q4 2024, would they not report revenue until Q1 2025? Seems like the two rumored timelines could be complementary, not contradictory

 

[macduke]

Hmmmmm...highly doubt my 44mm Stainless Steel Series 4 will make it until September 2025. This kinda makes me want to buy a 45mm Aluminum Series 8 when it goes on sale to bridge the gap until then. Or even a refurbished Series 7. I really want to get the Ultra for my next Watch, especially since I don't upgrade very often, but because I don't upgrade very often I really want the new display.

The Ultra already has a decent bezel around it, so this would probably just be removing that and replacing it with an edge to edge display. And I bet the battery life of a miniLED Ultra would be wild, especially since by 2025 TSMC should be on a 2nm node for the SoC. I've also been waiting for them to add the rumored blood pressure and/or blood glucose monitoring since those are both health concerns in my family and before I know it I will be 40. Ugh.

 

[Kottu]

Looks like my next AWU gonna be 2028 model.

 

[StellarVixen]

Looking forward to seeing microLED on Macs and iPads also in foreseeable future. OLED is the only emissive display tech around right now, but it doesn't work well for something that has the screen on for a long time otherwise burn in happens. For phones it's fine.