The 2024 Apple Watch Ultra might be the first product from the technology giant to sport a microLED panel, but due to ongoing issues, it may not materialize next year either. One analyst predicts that the development phase of the flagship smartwatch has yet to kick off, meaning that the likelihood of the device arriving 12 months from now is decreasing.

Updated Apple Watch Ultra development needs to start in December; otherwise the chances of the wearable not launching in 2024 are extremely high

The 2024 Apple Watch Ultra, or as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo likes to address it as the Apple Watch Ultra 3, has yet to start development. In the latest Medium blog post, Kuo notes that it is unusual that Apple has yet to start work on it, given that the second-generation model arrived just a year after the first Apple Watch Ultra version. Assuming the company does not commence work on it in December, then it is all but confirmed that the 2024 model has been canceled.

One reason why the 2024 Apple Watch Ultra development is yet to start is due to ongoing issues, starting with microLED production. Kuo does not mention exactly what problems are related to microLED, but it could be low yields or high production costs. Additionally, the analyst states that Apple needs time to develop innovative health management features for the 2024 model and ensure the manufacturability of new features.

Unfortunately, all of these issues may hurt Apple Watch shipments, with Kuo stating that without a 2024 Apple Watch Ultra model, sales of the high-end wearable may decline by up to 30 percent next year and up to 10 percent of total Apple Watch sales.

“Without a new Apple Watch Ultra model in 2024, the shipments of the Apple Watch Ultra are expected to decline by 20–30% YoY in 2024, and the total Apple Watch shipments will decline by 10% YoY in 2024 to about 35 million units.”

Do remember that Kuo has been incorrect in his predictions on several occasions in the past, particularly recently, so we will advise our readers to treat this report with a pinch of salt. When we hear more about the 2024 Apple Watch Ultra rumors, we will update our readers soon.

News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo