Specifically, renowned display analyst Ross Young previously stated that the Ultra with microLED display would be released no earlier than the second half of 2025, instead of the initially projected late 2024.
Apple is set to release the Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display in 2026Now, Trendforce believes it has been delayed for a second time and is unlikely to appear before the first quarter of 2026, due to high production costs that need to be addressed before Apple can proceed with mass production.
Apple has reportedly invested over $1 billion in internal microLED development over the past decade to reduce dependence on external suppliers and tighten control over the supply of key components in the display panel industry.
The upcoming Apple Watch Ultra is set to be the pioneer device from Apple utilizing microLED display technology. While the current model employs standard OLED, microLED offers numerous advantages over OLED along with several enhancements.
Compared to LED displays, microLED is significantly more energy-efficient and holds the potential to substantially improve battery life for devices equipped with it. Additionally, microLED eliminates issues like burn-in commonly associated with OLED. It also enhances contrast and response time thanks to individual pixel-level illumination, resulting in more vibrant and crisp colors. In summary, this is the next-generation display technology surpassing OLED and miniLED.
