Apple Reportedly Testing 1.5-Inch OLED Displays for Smart Watch

hex_vision_ipod_nano_watchJapanese blog Mac Otakara points to a pair of reports in today's edition of Taiwanese newspaper Economic Times addressing rumors surrounding Apple's smart watch effort. According to the first report [Google translation], Apple has begun sampling 1.5-inch OLED displays from RITEK subsidiary RiTdisplay.

The report also claims that RITEK's joint venture RitFast will be supplying the touch sensor technology for the watch.

Today's report echoes a December claim about Apple's plans for RiTdisplay's 1.5-inch displays and word that Intel is involved in Apple's effort, but includes a detail indicating that Apple had originally hoped to use a 1.8-inch display in the smart watch. That display, however, proved to be too large and the company shifted to the smaller 1.5-inch display size.

The second report [Google translation] offers an overview of the smart watch industry, with "market rumors" indicating that Foxconn has already received orders for Apple's smart watch. But with order volumes said to be around 1,000 units, the production run would clearly be a small-scale trial.

Rumors of an Apple smart watch ramped up in the months following that December report about Apple and Intel working together, with The New York Times later reporting that Apple was "experimenting" with curved glass smart watch designs and Bloomberg following up to claim that Apple has 100 product designers working on the project.

"iWatch" rumors peaked in February and March of this year amid claims that the device could launch "as soon as this year", but things have been relatively quiet for the past several months.

(Photo: HEX Vision Metal Watchband for iPod nano (6th Gen.))

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More

Wednesday January 14, 2026 7:09 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, Macs, and More

Thursday January 15, 2026 11:19 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Most of the values declined slightly, but some of the Mac values increased. iPhone ...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

These 5 Apple Products Will Reportedly Be Upgraded With OLED Displays

Friday January 16, 2026 7:07 pm PST by
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest. A new iPad Air is...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Friday January 16, 2026 12:12 pm PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...

Top Rated Comments

Frankied22 Avatar
165 months ago
We don't even know what it will look like so how can people say they won't wear it or it looks too big lol
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BaldiMac Avatar
165 months ago
I agree with all of these. A watch is a fashion statement, and all of these "smart" watches are hideous...plus I don't really know what value it would add to productivity.

Step 1: Assume "iWatch" will be hideous and useless.
Step 2: Dismiss "iWatch" because it will be hideous and useless.

:D
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SkippyThorson Avatar
165 months ago
I'd be game for one of these things, for sure. :) The iPod-Nano-As-A-Watch idea is pretty cool, but if this device syncs via Bluetooth to elegantly display alerts from your iPhone, I'd be all in.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Santabean2000 Avatar
165 months ago
I can't see these being successful beyond the "geek" community. I would never wear one.

It's too bad they're looking at something so big. A watch that big isn't going to appeal to everyone so it'd be nice to see another size.

What is it expected to actually do? Just be the old Nano with a wrist strap? Too small to surf the net. Not a phone. Too small for real apps. Wouldn't want to run headphone speakers from my wrist.

I don't get it. And as my sig points out, I'm usually in for any new Apple gadget. I can't think of an Apple Gadget I've skipped since Newton, but this seems pointless.

I agree with all of these. A watch is a fashion statement, and all of these "smart" watches are hideous...plus I don't really know what value it would add to productivity.

My god, these things are ugly, imho. I think I'd have to kick my own a$$ if I ever caught myself wearing one. Might as well get a calculator watch from the 80's while you're at it. I've bought heavily into the iPhones, iPads and iPods, but sorry, but I'll pass this time, Apple. But if other people like are interested in them, then all the more power to them. I'm sure people will buy them, and a lot of people will like them. To each their own. Just not for me.

These watches better be cheap. Like around 100 dollars cheap. Watches are fashion statements. There is no chance in hell I would switch out my nicer watches for some digital watch that tells me I have a text message.

This line of conversation sounds familiar... iPhone, iPad anyone?

Lets reload this thread in a year or two, when you all own one of these (yet to be released) puppies. And you'll pay a pretty penny for one two.


My money says gangbusters!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
165 months ago

"iWatch" rumors peaked in February and March of this year amid claims that the device could launch "as soon as this year" (https://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/04/apples-iwatch-planned-to-launch-as-soon-as-this-year-could-include-biosensors-and-mapping-features/), but things have been relatively quiet for the past several months.

March and Feb are only 2-3 months ago... How have things been quiet for "several months"?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleMark Avatar
165 months ago
I can't see these being successful beyond the "geek" community. I would never wear one.

Careful now...

I said the same thing years ago about electronic organisers.

Many iPhones & iPads later, I have a different opinion... ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)