We last week cast doubt on reports that the micro-LED Apple Watch Ultra project had been cancelled, and a new supply-chain report appears to confirm our view.
It says that while Osram was in line to supply micro-LED screens for the Watch, and has been dropped by Apple, the Cupertino company is still working on the project, and is simply seeking new suppliers …
Last week’s Micro-LED Apple Watch Ultra reports
Two reports last week said that Apple’s micro-LED Apple Watch Ultra project was apparently cancelled, based on a statement by an Apple display supplier.
These were based on one known fact: A company called AMS Osram said that big micro-LED project on which it was working was abruptly cancelled by the client.
We described product cancellation as unlikely
Things got very speculative from there, as we noted:
We suggested that, at most, this might mean a delay to a product whose timing had always been unknown, with conflicting reports suggesting planned launch dates of 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.
Supply-chain reports back our view
Later the same day, TrendForce weighed in, pointing out that Osram is not the only potential supplier, and that Taiwan and South Korea each has plenty of companies able to offer all the necessary tech.
Digitimes has today echoed this view, and gone further to say that Apple is actively seeking new suppliers.
The report suggests that Apple was indeed the Osram client to cancel, but this was because the would-be supplier had not shown the progress expected of it. It says the project is still very much alive.
As we said last week, the question regarding a micro-LED Apple Watch is not if, but when.
Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash
