For the creation of its first Apple Watch micro-LED display, tech giant Apple is reportedly dependent on LG. This will also be relevant to Apple’s plans to begin producing its own displays for the Apple Watch and iPhone in house.
November Capex Report:
In anticipation of Apple’s shift away from OLED, display analyst Ross Young claims that LG has begun constructing a small production line for micro-LED displays, according to 9 to 5 Mac.
Display analyst Ross Young tweeted, “We published in our November Capex Report that LGD is building a small line for micro-LED backplanes for the Apple Watch. It doesn’t start production till 2H’24. It is this small line that will likely assemble microbleeds from Apple for ’25 launch. Apple won’t do the full process,”
In addition, the report also predicts that in 2025, Apple Watch will switch to its next generation display technology. This is important because Apple intends to start manufacturing its own displays for the iPhone and the Apple Watch internally.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple has spent about six years developing micro LED technology for what will become the first display custom-designed by the company itself, mirroring its work on Apple silicon. Earlier this week, Gurman said that Apple is planning to introduce the display technology with a new Apple Watch Ultra in 2024.
OLED iPad Pro models on sale:
The 11.1 inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Pro models are reportedly being developed by Apple and will go on sale in the first quarter of 2024.
The OLED iPad Pro models are expected to have larger 11.1 inch and 13-inch screens, so the devices may have smaller bezels.
As mini-LED has continued to be reserved for the more expensive iPad Pro model, Apple has been currently selling 2 iPad Pro models: an 11-inch iPad Pro with a conventional LCD display and a 12.9-inch mini LED iPad Pro.
