Apple to Make the Switch From OLED to microLED Displays; May Buy Panels From Samsung and LG

Apple will likely use microLED panels for its smartwatches if the latest report is to be believed. The brand will reportedly continue to depend on Korean suppliers such as Samsung Display and LG Display for its smartwatch panels.

The Apple Watch Ultra could be the first Apple device to get a microLED panel in 2024 or 2025. This could be followed by iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks adopting microLED displays.

Apple Watch With MicroLED Display: Coming Soon?

According to a report by Korea's Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion (IITP), Apple has plans to ditch its current OLED panels for microLED displays. It adds that Apple may even make its microLED panels in-house by the end of next year.

However, prominent display manufacturers, such as Samsung Display and LG Display, need not worry. Apple will likely continue to rely on Korean manufacturers for at least 60 percent of its panels.

In the meantime, Apple will test its in-house microLED panels and ensure that it's ready for commercial production. The iPhone maker is reportedly planning to transition to microLED displays for its iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

The report states, "Apple is expected to outsource display production to Korean vendors in the coming years to save the costs necessary for mass production. If domestic display makers can outsource Apple's microLED production, it could give them the advantage to catch up with their Chinese rivals."

Apple Watch to Get More Expensive?

MicroLED is a newly-emerging technology, so manufacturing it will be particularly pricey for early adopters. MicroLEDs offer many advantages, which could justify the price. Compared to OLEDs, micro-LEDs are far brighter and more power efficient. MicroLEDs are also less prone to the burn-in effect, which sometimes affects OLEDs.

MicroLED panels made their foray with Samsung's The Wall in 2019, with the price ranging from an eye-watering ₹3.5 crore to ₹12 crores (exclusive of taxes). The modular Smart Display is gigantic, with the "smallest" screen measuring 146 inches.

Samsung recently scaled it down to 76 inches with the Micro LED CX. It will be interesting to see how Apple will employ microLEDs for a much smaller form factor, such as a smartwatch. However, since the tech is relatively nascent, production costs will likely be high.

In the future, we can expect manufacturers to develop low-cost production processes that will bring microLED technology to more products. This will likely bring the prices down, relieving both consumers and manufacturers.

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