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Apple abandoned plans to use microLED screens in its smartwatches, but LG Display does not intend to give up on the technology. The Korean manufacturer is still working on it, although for now it is holding back larger investments in mass production. The company wants to be ready for the moment when microLED starts to play a bigger role in the display market.
LG Display continues to develop microLED
According to DigiTimes, citing Korean industry sources, LG Display is currently using external pilot production lines because it does not have the full facilities required to produce in-house. This allows it to limit R&D expenditure while retaining technological expertise.
The decision is linked to Apple’s withdrawal from the microLED display project for the Apple Watch in 2024. LG Display was set to take part in the supply chain, but high costs and technical problems led to the project's termination.
MicroLED has potential, but manufacturing remains a problem
MicroLED technology uses microscopic LEDs that emit light on their own. Compared with OLED it can offer higher brightness and a longer lifespan. The biggest challenge, however, is the precise transfer of millions of tiny LEDs onto a substrate and keeping production defect rates low.
Despite these difficulties, competition is not standing still. AUO and PlayNitride are developing their own solutions, and in September 2025 Garmin launched the fēnix 8 Pro smartwatch with a microLED display. Chinese companies are also investing heavily in the technology's development.
LG Display therefore does not want to drop out of the race entirely. For now it is focusing on OLED development and cutting back on microLED research spending. It’s unclear when the company will decide to start mass production. All the more reason not to expect the technology to quickly become an affordable alternative to OLED TVs.
Source: DigiTimes
