Apple is working on a larger Apple Watch Ultra. A new Apple Watch Ultra with a larger 2.1-inch display will be released in 2024, DigiTimes reported today.
All about iOS 17, the operating system that was born with iPhone 15
This rumor lines up with information shared last month by Jeff Pu, a technology analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities.
The current Apple Watch Ultra has a 1.93-inch display, so the 2024 model would have a nearly 10% larger screen and likely become the first Apple Watch with a case over 50mm. The new Ultra is also expected to be the first Apple Watch to adopt microLED display technology, resulting in higher brightness, lower power consumption and better contrast ratio than current models with OLED displays.
At the moment, it is not clear whether Apple plans to release an Apple Watch Ultra in 2023 or if it will directly opt for the new 2024 model.
Taiwanese research firm TrendForce also says microLED technology could allow Apple to offer future products with “breakthrough innovations,” ranging from foldable and roll-up iPhone models to fully transparent AR glasses.
Manufacturing costs for microLED displays are currently high, so Apple’s transition to this technology will likely take many years to complete.
Meanwhile, Apple has yet to complete the transition to OLED displays across its product lineup. The first Apple device with an OLED display was the Apple Watch in 2015, while the iPhone started switching to OLED in 2017. Rumors suggest that the first MacBook Air and iPad Pro models with OLED displays will be released in 2024.
