Garmin signs deal with Vuzix for MicroLED Screen Tech – Will appear on Fenix 8 Pro or Next Gen Varia vision.
More: Vuzix.com
Garmin recently signed a multi-phase development contract with Vuzix for a next-generation nano-imprinted waveguide-based display system.
Whilst Vuzix typically makes projection technology for near-eye display (glasses), it is thought that this contract might additionally support Garmin’s move toward MicroLED watches, itself partially confirmed by a report today on this site for 2025’s Fenix 8 MicroLED. If the latter is true, we will be more likely to first see Garmin using this tech on watch in early 2025, most probably with the next generation of Venu.
Recently, Garmin removed its Varia Vision product from the main website and could quite easily be developing replacement near-eye display tech with an improved version of products like those by FORM Goggles (Swimming) and Engo 2 (Running, Cycling)
Under the terms of the contract, Vuzix will develop and deliver, in succession, waveguide-based optical systems with fully custom projection engines, and ultimately, production units. Vuzix’s capabilities in the design and development of custom waveguide optics, along with volume production nanoimprinting for vision-based optical systems, will power solutions for Garmin that offer significant cost, form factor, and space savings compared to currently deployed technologies.
Garmin is a technological leader and an ideal collaborator for implementing our advanced waveguide-based solutions in numerous markets, This development agreement further demonstrates how effectively Vuzix, with our OEM partners, can leverage the industry-leading optical technologies and manufacturing capabilities that we have created to support the burgeoning near-eye display industry. [Travers, CEO, Vuzix]
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Garmin has been actively exploring MicroLED for over a year
“The first MicroLED-Connect virtual event was in November 2023, with the following participants: Apple, Google, Samsung, Huawei, Innolux, LG Display, Sony, Infineon, Visteon Electronics, Phoenix Venture Partners, Avery Dennison, Garmin, Snap, Applied Materials, Shoei, Solvay, DNP, Aixtron, Schott, JC Decaux, Swatch, Coherent, Thales, Motherson, Kyocera, Kulicke & Soffa, Dispelix, imec, TNO, Toray, and many others..” Source: microled-info
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https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1fdfxcv/fenix_8_microled_8_pro_present_in_the_official/
“nano-imprinted waveguide-based” is clearly something near-eye. Must be entirely unrelated to those Fenix leaks. Unless it’s about a near-eye device that uses some new radio uplink that is not yet physically present in Fenix 8, then perhaps the Pro would be the incremental update that offers the link. This might actually turn out to be the killer app for near-eye that finally gets that stuff above the threshold of being worthwhile: no more gesturing to get the watch display fired up and into sight, eating through the HMD battery instead (which requires *much* less energy to stand out against the sun, thanks to being so much closer to the eye)
As for microLED in watches (without “nano-imprinted waveguide”): LED are mostly transparent, blacks require a black backdrop. The natural design would be a full screen solar panel *behind* the LED. Perhaps there’s something about AMOLED that makes this more difficult there than under a microLED display, this could be well enough reason to have yet another Fenix8 variant. Note there’s already a patent for solar-under-LED (curiously not advertising harvesting some photos from the sun, but “recycling” photons emitted by the LED in the wrong direction), so the challenge might be more legal than engineering.
agreed its mostly likely for a next Gen VARIA VISION product than Fenix MicroLED but you never know.