The next major upgrade for the Apple Watch Ultra is slated for 2026. According to the latest report by TrendForce, Apple wants to add microLED to its high-end Watch and increase the display to 2.12 inches.
This is not the first time TrendForce reported Apple plans this change for the Apple Watch Ultra. In August, the firm said Cupertino had pushed the introduction of this new display from 2025 to 2026. Over this year, several publications discussed the future of the Apple Watch Ultra with this panel. And, honestly, a larger display means we could get even more data from the wearable in just a glance.
This time, TrendForce adds that German LED giant ams OSRAM will exclusively supply “Micro LED chips smaller than 10x10um, and South Korean panel manufacturer LG Display, responsible for the chip mass transfer engineering in addition to providing LTPO glass backplates.”
The microLED panel for Apple could cost 2.5 to 3 times the current price of OLED panels, which the publication calls “a reasonable range for a new technology.” Previously, TrendForce said the microLED display could come to Apple’s headsets, smartphones, and automotive applications.
That said, it’s unclear when Apple would switch the OLED panel on the iPhone to microLED. Currently, the company is expected to add an OLED display to the iPad Pro in 2024. Samsung Display and LG Display are working on the 8th generation of this technology to bring it to the MacBook Pro by 2026.
For Apple, the company might be ready to introduce a new generation of the Apple Vision Pro – or even its long-rumored AR glasses – by 2026, so this could help boost the growth of microLEDs. But it’s unclear when the iPhone might adopt this new display.
Previously, Apple attempted to bring microLED to the iPhone X, but the company scrapped these plans due to production difficulties and higher prices.
Besides this change, Apple might be planning to add new sensors to the upcoming Apple Watch X/Series 10 before a major design change thanks to a new display technology.
