The Next Generation Apple Watch Will Feature “One-Glass Solution” Technology

Apple manufacturer and collaborator TPK Holding has apparently disclosed to DigiTimes that the second generation of Apple Watches will utilize thinner “one-glass solution” technology which will placed behind its organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.

As Apple Insider notes, touchscreen displays are typically constructed with capacitive stacks of materials, including glass, which has been stacked one atop another in an arrangement known as “glass on glass”.

In an interview with the Taiwanese tech outlet, TPK Holding admitted that it had run into manufacturing and technical difficulties involving the installation of OGS technology, which had delayed production and reduced yields below expected rates. The manufacturer has suffered large losses this quarter due to Apple’s transition from glass on glass to OGS technology, in addition to the lower than anticipated yields, DigiTimes reports. Apple has also apparently reduced its orders of touch panels for iPhones.

While little is known about the upcoming Apple Watch 2, beyond a rumor reported by AppleInsider that the exterior would remain largely the same, it is speculated that the OGS technology will create more room in the interior of the watch for an enlarged battery

In addition, AppleInsider notes that the next-gen smartwatches may come with GPS and LTE capabilities as well as screens that have been optimized for viewing outdoors.

The Apple Watch 2 is set to launch this fall, almost a year and a half since the originals dropped.