Display analyst Ross Young has again said Apple’s first microLED Apple Watch will hit shelves in 2025. Young has previously talked about a 2025 release and now says new information from Apple supplier Osram confirms the timeline.
While everyone else reported that the MicroLED Apple Watch would launch in 2024, we remained steadfast that it would be 2025, now essentially confirmed by its MicroLED supplier Osram: pic.twitter.com/gI9T6xcKfU
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) February 7, 2023
Osram in its 4Q 2022 earnings call said that it plans to begin reporting revenues from its microLED technology in 2025:
Let me now provide additional information related to our development and industrialization program for our leading small structure size microLED technology. Based on the latest available information and its assessment, we can add that we currently expect to start reporting relevant revenues from our microLED technology in 2025.
I can also confirm and emphasize that the customer engagement in this area is very deep, significant and active. The market feedback we received clearly confirms that we hold a strategic leadership position in small structure size microLED technology, and that we are the front runner for high volume industrialization of this next generation technology.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Apple is working on a microLED Apple Watch, such as analyst Jeff Pu, but other rumors pointed to a 2024 launch. Young does not believe we will see the new display technology in an Apple Watch until spring 2025.
While Young has not offered details on the size of the display, prior reports indicate that it will measure 2.1 inches diagonally, which would make it a good size for the larger Apple Watch Ultra. Currently, Apple Watch Ultra features a 1.92-inch display, which is larger than the 1.77-inch display of the Series 8.
microLED displays for the Apple Watch, which is currently being tested by Apple, will bring brighter and more vibrant colors, along with improved viewing angles. Bloomberg says the displays “make content appear like it’s painted on top of the glass.”
