MicroLED Apple Watch Still on Track for Late 2025 Launch

Apple's microLED Apple Watch is on track to launch in late 2025, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities.

apple watch ultra 1 1
In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Pu said that the first Apple Watch with a microLED display will launch in late 2025. The advanced display technology offers improved brightness, color reproduction, and viewing angles, making images look more like they are "painted" atop the glass.

Yesterday, a Weibo leaker reported that the next worthwhile upgrade for the Apple Watch Ultra users will be Apple's custom microLED display technology. Apple's plan to bring a microLED display to the Apple Watch Ultra is very widely corroborated, starting with a report from display analyst Ross Young in January.

After initially placing the device's launch in 2024, Young moved his forecast to the second-half of 2025. Bloomberg, on the other hand, reported a 2024 time frame earlier this year. TrendForce claims that Apple's first microLED display will launch on a new Apple Watch Ultra model in 2026, due to supply chain adjustments. With Young and Pu, as well as leaks on Weibo, now pointing to a launch in 2025, the ‌microLED Apple Watch‌ Ultra may launch sooner than previously expected.

The microLED display is expected to be 2.12-inches in size, a 10% increase over the display of the current Apple Watch Ultra. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Apple is likely planning to bring custom microLED displays to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac after the technology debuts in a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra. He believes Apple's long-term plan is to bring microLED displays to all of its key products. Other reports from DigiTimes, Nikkei Asia, and The Information have indicated similar plans for Apple to transition to custom microLED displays across multiple product lines in an effort to become less reliant on Samsung.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 3
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...

Top Rated Comments

spartan1967 Avatar
28 months ago

Macrumors really milking this cow. This must be the 100th micro LED rumor.

See you next week when it says “micro LED delayed to 2026”
Sounds like they have the correct name for this website then.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spcopsmac21 Avatar
28 months ago
Let me know when it can cook a roast. That’s what I’m waiting for.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wiesenlooser Avatar
28 months ago
Macrumors really milking this cow. This must be the 100th micro LED rumor.

See you next week when it says “micro LED delayed to 2026”
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amarcus Avatar
28 months ago

What looks better, OLED or microLED?
A microLED display should look a lot better as they are expected to get brighter and have a higher color gamut.


OLED is better. It has true blacks and great viewing angles. The ipads with microled have blooming. So I’m confused why apple would do this. Seems like a definite downgrade.
Easy to get confused but iPads have miniLED not microLED. At the moment, microLED is basically the holy grail of display technology and is definitely seen as superior to OLED. Hopefully, the table below will make this clearer.

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]

[TD]LED[/TD]
[TD]miniLED[/TD]
[TD]OLED[/TD]
[TD]microLED[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Products[/TD]
[TD]Apple Studio Display, iMac, MacBook Air, iPad Air, iPad mini[/TD]
[TD]Apple Pro Display XDR, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro (12.9")[/TD]
[TD]iPhone, iPhone Pro, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Ultra[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Display type[/TD]
[TD]Backlit[/TD]
[TD]Backlit[/TD]
[TD]Emissive[/TD]
[TD]Emissive[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Contrast[/TD]
[TD]Low[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Response time[/TD]
[TD]Low (ms)[/TD]
[TD]Low (ms)[/TD]
[TD]Medium (µs)[/TD]
[TD]High (ns)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Efficiency[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lifetime[/TD]
[TD]Long[/TD]
[TD]Long[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Long[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brightness[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Blooming[/TD]
[TD]No[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]No[/TD]
[TD]No[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Viewing angles[/TD]
[TD]Low[/TD]
[TD]Low[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Flexibility[/TD]
[TD]Low[/TD]
[TD]Low[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Operating temperature[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[TD]High[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shawnforever Avatar
28 months ago
Pretty good. 3-4 years should be a good upgrade cycle for my AWU1. Battery is on 98% after one full year and I use it constantly.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
StuBeck Avatar
28 months ago
Remember that this was first rumored for the S6...so I think we have a while before we can get our hopes up about it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)