AUO’s chairman Paul Peng told investors on 29 October that high-end microLED watches remain under “continuous development with customers”, despite Garmin dropping microLED from the Fenix 9 Pro barely a month earlier.
- The comments came during AUO’s Q3 2026 investor conference call in Taipei. AUO reported quarterly revenue of NT$66.9 billion, down 4.3% year on year, with a net loss of NT$2.5 billion.
- Peng referred to multiple customers, not just Garmin. AUO’s Q3 2025 call noted that other watchmakers began inquiring about the Fenix 8 Pro microLED.
- Apple cancelled its own microLED Watch Ultra project with LG in early 2024 but could be exploring AUO as an alternative supplier. Samsung has demonstrated microLED watch concepts and already ships a wide range of wearables.
- A new 4.5-generation high-resolution microLED production line is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027.
- AUO says it is on track to halve microLED production costs every two years, and expects microLED revenue to grow several-fold within one to two years.
What it means for us
Peng’s use of “customers” plural is the interesting part. Garmin is the only company that has shipped a microLED watch, and it walked away from the technology after one generation. So who else is AUO talking to?
Apple is one possibility. It cancelled a microLED Apple Watch Ultra project with LG in early 2024, reportedly over cost and yield problems. AUO’s 4.5-gen line and its stated cost-reduction targets could reopen that door. Samsung is another candidate; it demonstrated microLED watch prototypes and has the Galaxy Watch range to put them in (perhaps unlikely, as it lags Apple by 1-2 years in other areas of the Watch).
The catch is that none of this matters until AUO fixes the power problem. The Fenix 8 Pro microLED consumed roughly three times the energy of an equivalent AMOLED, largely because AUO’s first-generation backplane was not optimised. Garmin cut the price twice and still chose a 3,000-nit AMOLED for the Fenix 9 Pro instead.
Peng’s promise to halve costs every two years is the same pledge AUO has repeated at every earnings call since the Fenix 8 Pro launched. Cost is a problem, but it isn’t the main one. Apple, Samsung or anyone else considering a microLED watch needs a panel that uses less power than AMOLED, not just one that costs less. Until AUO delivers that, the next microLED watch is a press release away from being another battery disappointment.
Quick answers
Is AUO still making microLED watch displays?
AUO says it is continuing to develop microLED displays for high-end smartwatches with multiple customers, and that a new 4.5-gen production line is due to be completed in the first half of 2027.
Could Apple or Samsung be working with AUO on a microLED watch?
AUO referred to multiple watch customers without naming them. Apple cancelled a microLED watch project with LG in 2024, and Samsung has shown microLED watch prototypes, so both are plausible.
Why did Garmin drop microLED from Fenix 9 Pro?
Garmin said AMOLED at 3,000 nits meets the Fenix range’s needs. The Fenix 8 Pro microLED’s battery life was roughly a third of the AMOLED version, and its case was thicker because the touch layer was not integrated into the display.
Related: why the Fenix 8 Pro microLED drains battery, why Garmin skipped microLED for Fenix 9, Garmin battery life deep dive and the Garmin release radar.
Last Updated on 29 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
Support the site: Follow (free, fewer ads) · Subscribe (paid, ad-free) · Buy Me A Coffee
Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
