The Decline of Annoyingly Popular Watch Display Tech
Brands like Garmin, Polar, COROS, and Suunto are transitioning from memory-in-pixel (MIP) displays to AMOLED displays in their fitness watches. While MIP displays offered longer battery life and better visibility in outdoor conditions, they lacked readability indoors and had washed-out colors. The shift to AMOLED displays allows for improved readability and more vibrant visuals, without sacrificing significant battery life. This transition is expected to lead to software modernization and improvements in fitness watches over time. However, MIP displays may still have a place in budget-friendly options or when long battery life is a priority.