Apple Watch Ultra with microLED display won't see the light of day anytime soon, Ross Young claims

According to display analyst Ross Young, Apple will not launch the much-awaited microLED Apple Watch Ultra in 2024. Here's when it is likely to make its debut.

If rumours making the rounds online are anything to go by, Apple is prepping to unveil a new Watch Ultra smartwatch with a microLED. This newfangled display tech will make the Ultra even more premium. Notably, microLED is a major upgrade over OLED.

This highly efficient new display is expected to deliver more brightness. Unlike OLED panels, microLED displays won't be subject to burn-in issues, according to some reports. The Watch Ultra could be the first Apple product to adopt this technology. Regrettably, the Apple Watch Ultra isn't likely to see the light of day anytime soon.

Past leaks indicated the Cupertino-based tech behemoth is planning to launch the microLED Apple Watch Ultra next year. However, it now looks like the tech will not come until 2025. This piece of vital information comes from reliable display analyst Ross Young.

According to Young, this information comes from Apple supplier Osram. During its Q4 2022 earnings call, the company confirmed that revenues from microLED tech will be reported in 2025. Young believes this statement alludes to the upcoming microLED Apple Watch.

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

In the meantime, the Apple Watch Ultra rumour mill is in full swing. Earlier reports imply that the Watch Ultra will sport a microLED display. The Watch is a perfect product to debut this tech given that it sports a compact display. However, it will be interesting to see if this technology will extend to future iPhones.

It is currently unclear whether microLED iPhones are on the cards. To recap, analyst Jeff Pu recently claimed the Apple Watch Ultra will go official in 2024. However, Osram;s latest statement suggests otherwise. Regrettably, Pu did not divulge details about the aforesaid display.

Past leaks indicated that the Watch Ultra will sport a mammoth 2.1-inch display panel. For comparison, the current-gen Apple Watch Ultra has a 1.92-inch display. Likewise, the Apple Watch Series 8 features a 1.77-inch (diagonal) display. So, it is safe to assume that the 2025 model will get a bigger screen.

It will be interesting to see if this technology extends to other Apple products in the coming years. There is still considerable room for improvement in the microLED tech. So, most upcoming flagship devices are likely to feature OLED. The microLED tech form pixels using microscopic LEDs and deliver high contrast ratio, as well as accurate colours.