Last month, it was reported that the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra with MicroLED display had been deferred to beyond 2026 due to certain challenges being faced by the company. However, now, it is being said that the tech giant has scrapped the Apple Watch Ultra with MicroLED display altogether and has also fired many employees working as part of the project. Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared the news on X, and noted that the Cupertino-based tech giant no longer feels that the MicroLED display will add any value to the product. This comes a few days after Apple decided to cancel its electric car project, something that was under development for decades.

Apple lays off employees

In a post on X, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote that as per her recent survey, Apple has opted to cancel its MicroLED display project for the Apple Watch, citing the belief that the technology’s addition may not bring significant value to the product. The decision is also influenced by the high production costs, rendering it economically unviable. As a result, Apple has laid off many employees within its Micro LED development team. Kuo also noted that as of now, there was “no clarity” about Apple’s MicroLED projects.

“My latest survey indicates that Apple has canceled the Micro LED Apple Watch projects because Apple thinks that Micro LED can’t add significant value to this product, and the production costs are too high to make it economically viable. Apple has laid off many people from the Micro LED development team. There’s currently no visibility on any Micro LED-related projects. It’s undoubtedly a major setback for Apple, which hopes to own the next generation of display technology to make its products more competitive,” Kuo’s post read.

The post also added that Osram, previously serving as Apple’s exclusive supplier for MicroLED chips, was no longer engaged in collaboration with Apple on this technology. The cancellation of the Micro LED project suggests that Apple presently has no immediate plans to mass-produce Micro LED devices in the foreseeable future.

Apple’s electric car project cancelled

Earlier this week, Apple had announced the cancellation of its electric car project, which was under development for decades. Nearly 2,000 people were working on the project, a Bloomberg report had stated. While some were reported to be transferred to generative AI teams, others were reportedly handed the pink slip by the company.

Apple initiated its car project, codenamed project Titan, around 2014, envisioning a fully autonomous electric vehicle with advanced features such as a limousine-like interior and voice-guided navigation.