Apple is reportedly exploring a new OLED display technology that could appear in future Apple Watch models, according to Korean publication The Elec. The technology in question is a backplane technique called HMO, or high-mobility oxide, which LG Display is developing for its sixth-generation small- and medium-sized OLED panels.
HMO is seen as a potential successor to LTPO, the technology currently used in Apple Watch and iPhone for always-on displays and variable refresh rates. Its key advantage lies in higher electron mobility within the transistor layer. The higher this mobility, the more efficiently the OLED panel can be controlled, leading to lower power consumption.
Current mass-produced oxide TFT panels typically offer low mobility, while the next generation of OLED aims for significantly higher figures. LG Display employs a sputtering process that could simplify the integration of HMO into existing production lines. Meanwhile, Samsung Display is reportedly developing an alternative approach using atomic layer deposition, a slower but potentially more precise method for forming the transistor layer.
The first Apple product to feature an HMO display could be the 2027 Apple Watch. This fits the company's usual strategy: new display technologies are often first tested in the Watch before being adapted for higher-volume devices like the iPhone. If HMO proves effective, it could eventually become the foundation for more energy-efficient OLED panels across Apple's product line.
However, commercial launch is not yet assured. LG Display still needs to confirm the technology's readiness for mass production, including stability, reliability, panel uniformity, temperature requirements, and yield rates. According to rumors, the 2026 Apple Watch will not see major design changes, and a significant redesign is not expected until at least 2028, but the introduction of a more power-efficient display in 2027 remains a possibility.