Apple could update the Apple Watch Ultra to a larger microLED display than the current OLED display, but the upgrade could also come with a higher price. This is according to a report from market analysts at TrendForce.
TrendForce claims that microLEDs can be up to three times more expensive than OLEDs, and this is after Apple exercises its “strong bargaining power in the supply chain.” While Apple may be able to cut costs in other aspects of the watch’s production, this could likely mean the price to the consumer will increase.
Apple could attempt to justify the price increase to the consumer by using the larger usable screen that microLED will allow. TrendForce says the screen could expand to 2.12 inches (54 millimeters), an increase from the current 1.93 inches (49 mm).
TrendForce predicts Apple’s adoption of microLED for 2026. Almost a year ago, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple would use the technology in 2024, but that was followed in July by a TrendForce report that initially proposed the 2026 calendar for an Apple Watch Ultra microLED.
Apple currently uses OLED displays for all Apple Watch models. MicroLED displays have thinner, brighter panels and use less power. But microLED production has its difficulties; TrendForce states that Apple’s “exceptional ability to integrate new technologies and specifications” could provide a production surge that would “inject abundant vitality” into microLED manufacturing.
