Apple is planning to improve their displays with Mini-LED technology and also release a lower-cost version of its $5000 Pro Display XDR display. This is what we know so far…
Mini-LED Screens
In a research note obtained by MacRumors, from Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, who gathers intelligence from his contacts in Apple's Asian supply chain, translating what he gathers into research notes for clients, has a reliable insight into future products. Kuo has reported, based on supply chain evidence, that Apple is moving across to mini-LED display for their Mac models to be released in 2021 including a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and a 27-inch iMac. The analyst says…
“The trend for Apple’s development and promotion of mini LED are more identifiable in five years. We predict that Apple is currently developing six mini-LED-support products (vs. the previous report of only two products), including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 27-inch iMac Pro in 4Q20, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro (upgraded from 13.3-inch), a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 10.2-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch iPad mini in 2020.”
Mini-LED will enable thinner and lighter products, offering many of the same benefits as OLED including better wide colour gamut, high contrast and dynamic range, and local dimming for truer blacks and superior contrast. However Mini-LED displays are expensive, so it's possible that they will only be available on the higher-end models.
New Consumer Apple Display
Mark Gurman’s report in Bloomberg suggests Apple has started the development of a lower-priced external monitor in addition to the existing Pro Display XDR. The cheaper monitor would be aimed more towards consumer use rather than professionals and wouldn’t have the brightness and contrast ratio of the $5000 Pro Display XDR display.
At the time of writing, there is no information on the size, resolution, or other specs of consumer display yet, but it is suggested that the new display would have thinner front bezels than the old Apple Thunderbolt Display, which Apple discontinued back in 2016.