Apple Watch Series 10 will be launched later this year with an upgraded display that delivers improved battery life, according to a report. According to South Korean publication The Elec, the iPhone maker is reportedly changing the way the OLED screen on the Apple Watch Series 10 will be manufactures, which could in turn improve the efficiency of the wearable. The successor to the company’s Apple Watch Series 9, is expected to arrive in the second half of 2024, alongside the upcoming iPhone 16 series.
The Elec reports (in Korean) that the Apple Watch Series 10 will sport a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED screen along with thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. With the current generation Watch Series 9, the company reportedly equips all but two of its switching transistors with low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) technology, which is said to deliver less battery efficiency.
This year, the company will reportedly reduce the number of transistors using LTPS technology. As a result, Apple will use the less efficient technology only for circuits outside the Pixel area and a few remaining switching TFTs, according to the report. This means the Apple Watch Series 10 could offer better battery life compared to its predecessor.
Last month, Bloomberg reported that Apple was abandoning its plans to develop in-house screens with microLED technology. Some teams that were working on display engineering were said to have been reorganised, while other employees were laid off by the company. The move came shortly after Apple reportedly shut down its project to build a self-driving car, which was in development for nearly a decade.
While Apple’s future smartwatches might not be equipped with microLED screens, the upcoming Apple Watch Series 10 is expected to arrive with the improved display technology in the second half of 2024. The smartwatches could arrive alongside the iPhone 16 series of smartphones, which is expected to comprise four models — the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.