Mass production of Micro LED screen Apple Watch is rumored to be delayed to 2026

Apple originally planned to launch the first Apple Watch equipped with a Micro LED display in 2024, but the schedule has been continuously pushed back. It was previously rumored that it would be unveiled in the second half of 2025 at the earliest. However, according to the latest industry news, the mass production time of this watch will be delayed again, to the first quarter of 2026.

Apple finally launched the Vision Pro, an MR device equipped with Micro OLED, but the Apple Watch equipped with a Micro LED panel has been repeatedly delayed. Research firm DSCC analyst Ross Young said in April that Apple has decided to launch this product in the second half of 2025 or later; according to the latest industry news, the Micro LED Apple Watch has once again delayed mass production, from the second quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026, likely due to delays and production challenges.

Apple has spent at least US$1 billion developing Micro LED panels in the past 10 years. In order to reduce its dependence on Samsung and strengthen its control over the supply of key components, once mass production begins, Apple also plans to implement the most critical "mass transfer" process itself. It can be seen that Apple is quite cautious in developing Micro LED technology and samples. In addition, the production technology is challenging and the manufacturing cost is higher. The technology is still in the sample stage.

In the Micro LED project, Apple has cooperated with ams OSRAM to develop Micro LED components and LGD to produce backplanes, while TSMC is responsible for producing 12-inch silicon wafers. At present, Micro LED technology will be introduced into the Apple Watch Ultra model first, and then slowly expanded to product lines such as iPad and MacBook. The final plan is to introduce it into the iPhone.

Apple Watch currently uses OLED technology, which it has been using since the first Apple Watch model was launched in 2015. Compared with OLED screens, Micro LED displays can provide higher brightness and technically do not suffer from screen aging and color burn-in problems. (Source: Science and Technology News)