Samsung Bets on Micro LED Smartwatches with Dedicated Facility

Samsung is taking a big step in the future of smartwatch displays. The company is building a dedicated facility for smartwatch Micro LED panels, with plans to kick off pilot testing first. It looks like the firm remains confident in this technology, even though it is difficult and expensive to make.

Samsung’s smartwatch Micro LED panel ambitions move closer to reality

According to a report from ETNews, Samsung is constructing dedicated facilities for smartwatch Micro LED displays at its 5.5-generation Quarter Cut line. The facility is located at the company’s Asan A2 Campus in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea.

Samsung has already selected suppliers for Micro LED process equipment, including transfer, bonding, inspection, and repair systems. The company expects to complete equipment installation and plans to construct the pilot facility within this year. It is also reportedly considering an investment in mass production in the second half of next year.

Back in 2023, Samsung launched its Micro LED smartwatch development project. By building a dedicated pilot facility, the company now aims to accelerate commercialization.

For the uninitiated, Micro LED uses extremely small LED chips, measuring 10 micrometers (µm) or less, to produce images and videos. Unlike OLED panels, Micro LED displays use inorganic materials to offer longer lifespan, higher brightness, and solid power efficiency.

However, manufacturing Micro LED panels remains a big challenge, as engineers must handle tens of thousands of chips. Apple also spent several years developing Micro LED displays for its smartwatches, though it stepped back from the project in 2024 due to a bunch of technical hurdles.

Interestingly, Taiwan’s AUO successfully commercialized Micro LED displays last year (for Garmin smartwatches). However, the company is reportedly still struggling with issues related to power consumption and production efficiency. It will be interesting to see how Samsung overcomes these manufacturing challenges as it moves towards mass production.