Kuo: High-End iPad and MacBook With Mini-LED Displays to Launch Between Late 2020 and Mid 2021

[MacRumors]

Reiterating a prediction he shared in April, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Apple plans to release high-end iPad and MacBook models with Mini-LED displays between late 2020 and mid 2021.

In a research note for TF International Securities, seen by MacRumors, Kuo added that the iPad and MacBook displays will each use approximately 10,000 LEDs, compared to 576 in Apple's upcoming Pro Display XDR. Each LED is said to be below 200 microns in size, significantly smaller than those in the Pro Display XDR.

Kuo previously said the iPad and MacBook models will have 10-12 inch and 15-17 inch display sizes respectively, and he also expects them to be high-end devices due to costly Mini-LED display components. Altogether, that means these will likely be iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models, but Kuo has not specified.

Although mass production of medium-sized OLED displays has gradually improved, and the wide color gamut performance of OLED is comparable to that of Mini-LED, Kuo believes Mini-LED is Apple's first choice to avoid burn-in issues and to reduce its dependance on Samsung for supply of OLED displays.

LG Display will supply the Mini-LED display panels, while other Mini-LED component suppliers will include Epistar, Zhen Ding, Radiant Opto-Electronics, Nichia, Avary Holding, and TSMT, according to Kuo.

Kuo believes the Mini-LED displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while also offering good wide color gamut performance, high contrast and HDR, and local dimming, which dims the backlight behind areas of the screen that are displaying black while keeping the bright parts of the screen bright.

Apple plans to release the iPad between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, followed by the MacBook between the first quarter and second quarter of 2021, according to Kuo.

Article Link: Kuo: High-End iPad and MacBook With Mini-LED Displays to Launch Between Late 2020 and Mid 2021

 

[Banglazed]

Mini-LED on iPhone will be $$$ but take my money!

 

[Strelok]

Mini-LED on iPhone is a must buy

You'll probably need microled there, mini won't be small enough. 10000 zones is nice, until you realize these screens have millions of pixels

 

[-DMN-]

OLED iPad Pro!!! [insert fire emoji]

 

[nawnp]

In other words expect future Pro models to be the first to have Mini-Led, not much a surprise. I have been curious of whether OLed or 120 Hz displays were hitting Macs first since both are limited to iPhone Pro or iPad Pro models, respectively. I guess 120 Hz mini led is much easier to combine?

 

[satchmo]

If you thought the current iPad Pro and MBP’s were already expensive, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

 

[tambur123]

Still not comparable with OLED, but a step up from the current LCD.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Otherwise known as the 'cost an arm and a leg updates'.

 

[dgdosen]

Please ship some quad core Ice Lake laptops to tide us over...

 

[the_color_orange]

My wallet is ready.

 

[dampfnudel]

If you thought the current iPad Pro and MBP’s were already expensive, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

If that’s the case, then Apple ain’t seen nothing yet when it comes to falling sales.

 

[JustForward]

OLED is more cheaper and won’t inflate the product price substantially in contrast to mini-led.

 

[smulji]

If you thought the current iPad Pro and MBP’s were already expensive, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[plucky duck]

OLED is more cheaper and won’t inflate the product price substantially in contrast to mini-led.

It's not the material cost that inflates the final cost of the product to the consumer, it's Apple inflating the price itself by including keywords such as "Pro"

 

[cmaier]

Should be interesting.

 

[nutmac]

Still not comparable with OLED, but a step up from the current LCD.

While contrast and black level won't be comparable, lack of permanent burn in (which is almost a certainty for many common computer workflows) and brighter peaks make mini-LEDs much more desirable.

 

[JustForward]

It's not the material cost that inflates the final cost of the product to the consumer, it's Apple inflating the price itself by including keywords such as "Pro"

I was about to say the same thing. The production cost isn't that expensive and the product price can remain unchanged without hurting the profit.

 

[Mc0]

Oh this is good news! The horror of using OLED on a device that usually display static images for hours. Can’t imagine the burn-in in just a few months use.

 

[FreeSpeechFirst]

Mini-led material cost isn't a huge difference from the LCD and it makes sense to keep the product price from going up.

 

[EssModelsRule]

So I guess the rumored triple camera iPad Pro’s will land sooner rather than later then.

 

[JPack]

Still not comparable with OLED, but a step up from the current LCD.

No, mini-LED will beat OLED, just like Pro Display XDR already beats OLED.

Apple isn't betting on mini-LED just for fun. OLED has several compromises, those are reasons why Apple is skipping OLED for premium productivity devices.

OLED is more cheaper and won’t inflate the product price substantially in contrast to mini-led.

OLED is thinner, but offers relatively poor color accuracy and brightness compared to mini-LED.

For iPad Pro and MacBook, thinness doesn't matter as much as iPhone.

 

[miniyou64]

Does it come with migraine inducing PWM like the flagship iPhones of the last 3 cycles?

 

[0924487]

OLED is more cheaper and won’t inflate the product price substantially in contrast to mini-led.

Never trust anyone who says “more cheaper”

 

[JustForward]

No, mini-LED will beat OLED, just like Pro Display XDR already beats OLED.

Apple isn't betting on mini-LED just for fun. OLED has several compromises, those are reasons why Apple is skipping OLED for premium productivity devices.


OLED is thinner, but offers relatively poor color accuracy and brightness compared to mini-LED.

For iPad Pro and MacBook, thinness doesn't matter as much as iPhone.

It isn't entirely true.

 

[Janichsan]

Mini-led material cost isn't a huge difference from the LCD and it makes sense to keep the product price from going up.

A year ago, mini-LED panels were about 10 times as expensive as normal LCDs. While the prices have dropped somewhat, they are still significantly pricier.