Apple is set to make an upgrade to the Apple Watch display technology as soon as 2025, according to a new report from reliable analyst Ross Young. While the Apple Watch lineup currently uses OLED display tech, Young reports that Apple is targeting a switch to micro-LED starting in 2025…
Apple Watch display technology upgrade
Today’s report from Ross Young follows a report from analyst Jeff Pu last week. Pu claimed that Apple is planning to increase the screen size of the Apple Watch Ultra and switch to micro-LED display technology starting next year.
Young’s timeline is a bit less aggressive, which ultimately makes it the more likely outcome of the two. The analyst says that Apple will begin panel production of micro-LED displays for the Apple Watch starting in 2024, with the first product being released to customers in spring of 2025.
Rumors of Apple’s interest in micro-LED displays have been circulating for years. A report in 2019 claimed that the Apple Watch would switch to microLED as soon as 2020. This, of course, did not actually come to fruition. Instead, the Apple Watch has retained OLED display technology since its inception in 2015 – including the latest Apple Watch Ultra.
micro-LED panels offer a number of improvements compared to OLED. micro-LED can reach higher brightness levels and provide more consistent color output than OLED. It’s also less susceptible to burn-in artifacts than OLED. micro-LED technology is also far more power-efficient than OLED, something that’s especially important on a device like the Apple Watch where every minute of battery life counts.
9to5Mac’s Take
The Apple Watch has been ahead of the curve when it comes to display technology since its initial release. It was Apple’s first device to feature an OLED display with a dynamic refresh rate. The iPhone eventually made the switch to OLED, starting with the iPhone X in 2017.
Apple’s interest in micro-LED displays extends beyond the Apple Watch. If Apple follows precedent, the iPhone would then be the next product to switch to micro-LED.
To me, changes in display technology are particularly notable when they can offer improvements in things like battery life and efficiency. This is especially true on the Apple Watch. If an Apple Watch with micro-LED is able to drastically improve battery life, especially on the non-Ultra models, it’s a change that’s absolutely worth making.
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