LG Seeking Compensation From Apple Over Canceled MicroLED Apple Watch Project

LG is seeking compensation from Apple following the abrupt cancelation of the microLED Apple Watch due to the substantial investments it made in preparation of the project, The Elec reports.

Apple Watch Ultra Black Feature
As a result of the device's cancelation, LG Display has apparently been left with substantial sunk costs, including the expense of purchasing 14 U.S. patents related to microLED technology from Taiwan's Ultra Display. The company now faces potential claims from its equipment partners, some of whom had also invested in the project without formal contracts in place. LG also moved equipment from Gumi in Gyeongsangbuk-do to Paju in Gyeonggi-do, secured space for the microLED backplane process, and recruited specialized personnel to form a task force dedicated to the project. Overall, LG reportedly spent hundreds of billions of won to prepare for the microLED Apple Watch.

Apple's decision to cancel the project was reportedly based on concerns about the economic viability of microLED technology for the Apple Watch. Despite its potential advantages—such as brighter displays, improved color accuracy, and better power efficiency compared to existing OLED technology—Apple determined that the production costs associated with microLED were too high to justify its inclusion in the Apple Watch. There were also significant challenges related to the manufacturing process, which would have made it more difficult to produce the displays in the required quantities.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...

Top Rated Comments

jlc1978 Avatar
17 months ago
I suspect there will be some sort of agreement since LG wants Apple as a customer and Apple wants LG to be a viable suppler to keep display costs down due to competition.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
asdfjkl; Avatar
17 months ago

some of whom had also invested in the project without formal contracts in place
Well, that sounds like negligence to me. Why would any company go and make enormous investments without some sort of contract in place?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
17 months ago

So, LG invested all of this time and money WITHOUT a signed contract in hand?
Sounds like a poor business decision. Not something Apple should be financially responsible for.
There was an agreement or contract of sorts. This type of investment doesn't just begin without mutual assurance. Additionally, this happens all the time in engineering with R&D.

Source: am an engineer.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
therunningman Avatar
17 months ago
My guess is that no supplier/manufacturer will ever go into a verbal agreement with Apple in the future. But when plunking down that much capital, LG should have had something signed in advance.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
17 months ago
Here we go with a bunch of "no contract: tough loss LG" in favor of Apple Inc. LG probably has 500 contracts with Apple for all kinds of other stuff. There was likely some perception of this moving forward driven by Apple and they were just taking care of a good customer by going a bit out on a limb on this one... with full expectation that that customer wouldn't leave them holding the bag.

Hopefully Apple does the right thing by one of their very important vendors in who knows how many ways. Else, vendor learns an expensive lesson here- makes sure other vendors knows that this client is capable of skipping out on an expensive bill- and then ALL of them demand formal agreements in writing forever after... somewhat complicating Apples execution and even more so many efforts towards secrecy.

"We" always take the Apple side in all things/matters/situations and there's always 2 sides to every story.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timber Avatar
17 months ago

So, LG invested all of this time and money WITHOUT a signed contract in hand?
Sounds like a poor business decision. Not something Apple should be financially responsible for.
If that is the case they probably valued their previous relation with Apple and decided Apple was worth some leeway.

They won't make the same mistake again.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)