Apple Watch Ultra With microLED Display May Launch in Second Half of 2025

Apple is developing a newer Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display, the company's most expensive, top-of-the-line smartwatch. However, don't get too excited because the Cupertino company may release it in the second half of 2025, according to display analyst Ross Young.

Apple Watch Ultra With microLED Has Been Pushed to 2025

There was speculation that the Apple Watch would debut in 2024, but Young claims that the release date has been "pushed out" to 2025 at the earliest. Earlier this year, Young predicted a release date in 2025, but he has since narrowed that window to the second half of this year.

The development of a microLED Apple Watch has been confirmed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who predicted in January that the device could launch by the end of 2024. However, Apple's release window has likely moved.

MicroLED Carries Some Advantages Over OLED

MicroLED is a display technology that uses tiny, self-emitting pixels. It offers higher brightness, better contrast, and a longer lifespan than OLED displays. MicroLEDs can also be manufactured in smaller sizes, making them ideal for wearable devices like smartwatches. However, they are currently more expensive to produce than OLED displays.

Apple Watches currently have OLED displays; switching to a microLED display would give the premium smartwatch some advantages over its competitors, such as the ones mentioned above.

According to Gurman's prediction in January, Apple is expected to replace OLED with micro-LED technology in its iPhone, iPad, and Mac units from 2024 onwards. This shift from OLED to micro-LED is expected to happen across the iPhone lineup followed by iPad and Mac units.

At the same time, microLED displays are also on Samsung's radar for potential inclusion in upcoming Galaxy series wearables. According to recent reports, Samsung formed a team at the end of the year to work on bringing microLED displays to market in Galaxy smartwatches.

The Galaxy smartwatches made by the South Korean electronics giant currently feature OLED displays.