The Apple Watch Ultra has been rumored to receive an upgraded microLED display for over a year. Unfortunately, alleged production issues have pushed back the expected release to 2027. However, in a recent development, Apple has placed a large microLED order with the Austrian firm ams-Osram, which was eventually canceled. This order was expected to be for the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Although Osram did not confirm that Apple was the customer who canceled the major microLED deal, the company did announce in a press release that a key project supporting its microLED strategy had been unexpectedly canceled, leading to the closure of its microLED strategy.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has confirmed that Apple has canceled its microLED Apple Watch project with Osram. Kuo stated that Apple decided to abandon all projects involving microLED displays due to the technology not providing significant value to its products. Additionally, Apple found the production costs of microLED to be too high for economic viability.
Despite these reports, some skeptics like Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman have suggested that ams-Osram was just one of Apple’s microLED suppliers and that the Apple Watch Ultra is still on track to receive the updated display technology. Rumors have also indicated that Apple is gradually transitioning its device lineup to incorporate microLED displays, starting with the Apple Watch, followed by the iPad, iPhone, and eventually the MacBook.