The Apple Watch may eventually have micro-LED displays, according to a report in DigiTimes. The Taiwanese website is reporting that sources along Apple’s supply chain say that Apple is planning to move away from the current OLED technology used in the Apple Watch sometime during the second half of 2017.
Micro-LED displays, which can range from 1-micron to 100-micron, do not necessitate the same backlighting requirements as traditional LCD displays. This means that a micro-LED displays are more power efficient, albeit at a steep cost and production complexity trade-off.
The displays are lighter and thinner as well, however, and can give an Apple Watch screen a much higher resolution and brightness ability.
This rumor fit in well with the prediction of KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this year said that the next generation of the Apple Watch — colloquially called the Apple Watch 2 — will mainly be concerned with internal improvements rather than any form factor design changes. These form factor design changes, Kuo said via MacRumors, will occur around mid-2017, the same date that DigiTimes supply chain sources cite.
Apple announced an update to watchOS at WWDC 2016. Called watchOS 3, this update will bring SOS service to call for emergency response, an app switcher similar to the one seen in iOS, and an ability for Apple Watch apps to hold themselves in stasis in memory.
Hungry for more Apple Watch rumors? Make sure to comment below what you think about these rumors, and stay up-to-date with our coverage here.
