The Apple Watch Ultra 2, the first Apple smartwatch with a microLED display, will be delayed, according to a new supply chain analysis. Accordingly, the originally planned start in 2025 cannot be kept due to technological limitations in the production process. Instead, the next generation of the Apple Watch Ultra should not be launched until 2026. According to the report, LG is Apple’s main supplier of the microLED panels (and probably the only one at the moment). The Korean technology giant is currently looking for a way to make the production of MicroLED panels cheaper.
The production of microLED displays is currently extremely expensive for a number of reasons. The main reason is the very low yield. Manufacturing the panels with the microscopic light emitting diodes is very difficult and many of the units are sub-standard. As a result, only a few of the finished Apple Watch Ultra 2 displays make it through quality control and into final assembly.
According to reports, LG has now found a solution to repair the defective microLED panels. However, this process alone is currently still quite expensive. That’s why LG is now buying patents, including 14 US patents filed by Taiwanese company Ultra Display Technology. These patents relate to more reliable and precise chip positioning, resulting in higher yields.
The first Apple Watch with microLED panels will be the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Later, the technology will also be carried over to the regular models. Apart from that, the Ultra 2 will be lighter and will also be available in a black titanium version.
