The Apple Watch Ultra with microLED might arrive in 2027 at the earliest.
The Apple Watch Ultra with microLED might launch later than initially expected.
Korean publication TheElec claims the Apple Watch Ultra with microLED is slated to arrive in 2027 at the earliest. Supply chain sources say Apple is unable to obtain sufficient display panels at reasonable prices before 2027.
While the current OLED panel costs rough $40, a microLED panel is estimated to cost closer to 4x more at $150. This might lead to a significant price hike for the Apple Watch Ultra, which would make it less attractive to customers.
Apple is reportedly planning to switch to microLED displays for its watches because of the technology's higher efficiency, higher colour gamut, and brighter colours.
To recap, in early 2023, Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu and Bloomberg both said that Apple had plans to launch a microLED Apple Watch this year.
Display analyst Ross Young later claimed that it could be available in the spring of 2025 before revising it to the second half of the year.
TheElec then reported in July 2023 that the Apple Watch Ultra with microLED could arrive in Q1 2026 due to the complexity of the display technology. Lastly, a recent TrendForce report touched on who the two potential suppliers of microLED panels for Apple could be.
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