The Apple Watch Ultra.
LG is said to have purchased several microLED patents from UltraDisplay Inc., a display company based in Taiwan.
The reason for doing so, according to TheElec, is because LG is facing challenges in the production of microLED panels.
The tricky bit, in question, is said to be the "transfer printing process." This process involves planting chips measuring mere tens of micrometres (μm) in specific locations, and is, unsurprisingly, said to be one of the most complex parts of the entire process.
The small size of the microLEDs, coupled with the low yield, has forced LG to roll out a repair process to replace defective microLEDs. This in turn leads to higher production costs.
The microLED patents that LG purchased are related to the "transfer printing process" and hold the key to a more reliable transcription process that could potentially lead to higher yields.
The Apple Watch Ultra is tipped to be the first Apple device to sport a microLED display. It could take a few years before microLED comes to the iPhone, and even longer still for the iPad and Mac.
The most recent report suggests that the Apple Watch Ultra with microLED will only arrive in Q1 2026 due to the complexity of the new display technology.
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