Apple to Rely on Korean Suppliers Amid Switch to Custom MicroLED Displays

Apple will continue to rely on Korean suppliers for device displays as it makes a big push to develop its own components for more control over product designs, claims a new report (via The Korea Herald).

apple watch ultra 3
According to Korea's Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion (IITP), Apple has emerged as a new player in the display market from a long-term perspective, even as it expands its use of in-house components and displays.

For example, Apple is reportedly planning to start transitioning its devices from OLED to microLED, beginning with Apple Watch Ultra in 2024 or 2025, and followed by iPhones, iPads, and eventually MacBooks, too.

However, the IITP believes that it may take some time for Apple to completely commercialize its self-made display technology. Given that microLED display production remains challenging, manufacturing costs are higher, so Apple will continue to source at least 60% of its components from Korean display manufacturers such as Samsung Display and LG Display for the next several years, according to the report.

"Apple is expected to outsource display production to Korean vendors in the coming years to save the costs necessary for mass production," the report said. "If domestic display makers can outsource Apple's microLED production, it could give them the advantage to catch up with their Chinese rivals."

A new Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display has been rumored by several sources, including Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu. Gurman said the microLED transition could begin by the end of 2024, but noted the timeframe could slip into 2025. Young also gave a 2025 timeframe, so the technology could be at least two years away.

Meanwhile, Apple is still completing its lengthy transition from LCD to OLED display technology. The Apple Watch has used OLED since it launched in 2015, and iPhone models gradually switched to OLED starting in 2017. Rumors suggest the first iPad Pro and MacBook models with OLED displays will be released in 2024.

Popular Stories

ios 19 messages app

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:40 pm PDT by
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June. In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:33 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup

Wednesday July 16, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great. Top Tier Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone's Thickness and Price Range Detailed in New Reports

Wednesday July 16, 2025 11:31 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will likely have a starting price between $1,800 and $2,000 in the U.S., analysts at investment banking firm UBS said this week. If so, the foldable iPhone would cost more than a MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,599. With a starting price of at least $1,800, the foldable iPhone would be the most expensive iPhone model ever released, topping the Pro Max at...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Here's When to Expect the iOS 26 Public Beta

Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:07 am PDT by
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week. Apple will be releasing...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Revealed in Latest Leak

Wednesday July 16, 2025 6:50 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report includes ...
iPhone 17 Air Thumb 2 Blue Electric Boogaloo

iPhone 17 Air's Limited Battery Capacity Leaked

Friday July 18, 2025 12:03 pm PDT by
The battery capacity of Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air will be below the 3,000 mAh mark, according to a recent post from Instant Digital, an account with more than 1.4 million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Thanks to iOS 26's new Adaptive Power Mode, though, the account said that the iPhone 17 Air should achieve full-day battery life. A previous rumor pegged the iPhone...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Friday July 18, 2025 4:23 am PDT by
Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely dates. Like the iPhone 16 series, this year's lineup is expected to include four models – but with a twist. The ‌Plus device is being replaced with an all-new ultra-thin model, while the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max are set to...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...

Top Rated Comments

Nozuka Avatar
29 months ago

I must admit this is getting confusing:

Apple Watch Ultra going from OLED to microLed.

Yet all Macbooks are rumoured to eventually go from LCD and microLed to OLED.

And ipads also apparently getting the same treatment.

Anyone else getting confused with Apples screen technology strategy?
I think your confusion comes from the fact that you are mixing up MiniLED with MicroLED.

LCD < miniLED < OLED < microLED

They skipped miniLED on the Watch and iPhone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
29 months ago
Maybe with the MicroLED Apple will push Apple Watch Ultra to hit solid 7 days of battery life. We are already getting good 3 days of battery life with Apple Watch Ultra.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
senttoschool Avatar
29 months ago

I must admit this is getting confusing:

Apple Watch Ultra going from OLED to microLed.

Yet all Macbooks are rumoured to eventually go from LCD and microLed to OLED.

And ipads also apparently getting the same treatment.

Anyone else getting confused with Apples screen technology strategy?
No because microLEDs are hard to manufacture so making smaller screens first is logical.


Way better than stick with Chinese suppliers
Why is that?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CWallace Avatar
29 months ago

I know it’s more complicated than this, but as one of the richest companies in the world… why not just buy out one of the suppliers that creates microLED? Then it will indeed be theirs.
Apple purchased LuxVue Technology back in 2014 and that company was developing low-power, micro-LED-based displays for consumer electronics. Apple has also been investing in other microLED supplier companies.

So they've been working on it for close to a decade and that they have not yet released anything (nor has anyone else in this size category) is a sign of just how difficult it is to create the technology and then, especially, scale it to tens (Watch) or hundreds (iPhone) of millions of units per year.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Leon Ze Professional Avatar
29 months ago
I must admit this is getting confusing:

Apple Watch Ultra going from OLED to microLed.

Yet all Macbooks are rumoured to eventually go from LCD and microLed to OLED.

And ipads also apparently getting the same treatment.

Anyone else getting confused with Apples screen technology strategy?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CWallace Avatar
29 months ago

Anyone else getting confused with Apples screen technology strategy?
Honestly? Not really.

Apple Watch launched with OLED, so microLED is the next logical step as it brings all the benefits of OLED with fewer to none of the drawbacks. And considering how challenging and expensive it is to make a microLED display, doing it in a two-inch form factor makes sense to start.

Apple (effectively) skipping miniLED and going straight from LED to OLED for iPads does make some sense as the technology is "tried and true" in iPhones and as tablet OLED production has increased, prices have dropped so OLED might be cheaper than miniLED now in the sizes the iPad family uses.

I admit I am not sure why Apple wants to move from LED/miniLED to OLED for MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros. It could be for the same reason as they are doing so on iPads (cheaper pricing) and if Apple uses the similar AMOLED technology they use on the iPhone and iPad, that would help alleviate some of the issues with burn-in and off-axis color that one sees in TV-style WOLEDs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)