Kuo: Mini-LED iPad and AirPods 3 Coming First Half of 2021

[wave84]

Because burn in is a terrible thing for a computer screen.

Phones aren't used the same way that desktops/laptops and tablets are. There's no expectation that the user will be interacting with static elements on the screen for hours at a time. Typically the longest on-screen activity you might do with a phone is watch a video or play a game. Both of those match the use case for TVs.

I strongly disagree. A tablet is much more similar in use to a phone than to a desktop/laptop. There is nothing static in a tablet interface or its use that would warrant such a concern. The tablet also doesn't stay plugged in for as many hours as a normal computer. It's just a different device, and all the other premium tablets on the market are OLED at this point. Except Apple.

 

[gnomeisland]

Phones aren't used the same way that desktops/laptops and tablets are. There's no expectation that the user will be interacting with static elements on the screen for hours at a time. Typically the longest activity you might do with a phone is watch a video or play a game. Both of those match the use case for TVs.

You're right. Phones are used much, much more than most traditional computers and tablets.

Sarcasm aside, burn-in for OLED is a cumulative effect as the organics fade so constant usage of similar visual elements, even with elements in between, will worsen the effect. As I mentioned earlier, I think that is true for Macintosh/MacOS systems but iPadOS is functionally so close to iOS I don't see a meaningful difference. IF that is actually part of Apple's reluctance I think it is that people keep their iPads for so much longer and therefore may see some dimming/burn-in at the devices EOL but not that they will see it sooner because of usage. And I'm someone who uses my iPad Pro for hours every day.

 

[Perry Barhydt]

Mini led plus A14 series chip = upgrade from my iPad pro 2018

 

[kaffedrikker]

Hopefully we wil also have a Mini iPad with Mini-LED and a Mini Magic keyboard.

 

[SWAON]

And then you have microLED. Even if they sound the same, microLED is very different from a mini-LED. Their major difference is that the former does not use a backlight to light up the display. If you think about it, microLED is actually a lot closer to an OLED TV than a mini-LED. This is because OLED does not use backlights. Instead, it can control its individual pixels for better contrast. (source)

So, Mini-Led is a bit better than LED, but real change comes with Micro-Led to OLED. Wonder when will be the Micro-Led introduced to Apple's devices or rather they will be skipped to OLED? The progression is like: LED -> Mini-Led -> Micro-Led -> OLED

 

[flur]

They are literally shipping a 13.3” MacBook Pro with M1 next week. Maybe the 14.1” is a new iPad Pro size? The iPad Pro becomes 12.9” and 14.1”?

The expectation is that there’s a redesign for both the 13” and 16” MBPs coming next summer, with new silicon chips that can handle more memory and ports, that will replace the high-end 13” MBP (that didn’t get the M1 chip this time around) and the 16”.

 

[jmgregory1]

I can’t wait for the updated iPad Pro. I’m hoping the A14X chip aids in improving battery life, as that is one thing it could use, especially with the latest M1 MBA and MBP’s and their outstanding battery life.

I am in fact tempted by the 13” M1 MBP, because it would give me the same size, and only cost me the cellular connectivity for effectively the same price (when you add in a Magic Keyboard to the iPad Pro). I’ll see how some of the real world tests and reviews go next week with the MBP and decide then what to do.

 

[mjharwaz]

You're right. Phones are used much, much more than most traditional computers and tablets.

Sarcasm aside, burn-in for OLED is a cumulative effect as the organics fade so constant usage of similar visual elements, even with elements in between, will worsen the effect. As I mentioned earlier, I think that is true for Macintosh/MacOS systems but iPadOS is functionally so close to iOS I don't see a meaningful difference. IF that is actually part of Apple's reluctance I think it is that people keep their iPads for so much longer and therefore may see some dimming/burn-in at the devices EOL but not that they will see it sooner because of usage. And I'm someone who uses my iPad Pro for hours every day.

Functionally close is not the same as usage close. When you consider that the iPad is marketed and used (despite the angry vocal mob on these forums who will swear otherwise) in similar use cases to a laptop, such as word processing, photo editing, art/graphic applications, where static UI elements persist, burn-in on an iPad becomes much more likely than burn in on a phone where very few people spend more than a few minutes on a single app and most high-volume users rotate through various apps so frequently that the cumulative effect of which you speak will still take longer to occur.

 

[EugW]

There better be a "new" 11 IPP.
If this thing gets killed to promote new Air4 even more, i'll be pissed.

I've said before, if the 11" iPad Pro doesn't get updated with 5G and mini-LED, then I will buy nothing. I'm not interested in the 11" iPad Air, given that I already have a iPad Pro 10.5" with Touch ID and various other things.

 

[cardfan]

For those with burn in concerns my 15” oled laptop still looks great nearly a year later. No issues with burn in.

However mini led still sounds good to me. It takes those concerns away completely. Turn that brightness up with no worries. Hdr.

 

[PickUrPoison]

So, Mini-Led is a bit better than LED, but real change comes with Micro-Led to OLED. Wonder when will be the Micro-Led introduced to Apple's devices or rather they will be skipped to OLED? The progression is like: LED -> Mini-Led -> Micro-Led -> OLED

No, OLED is current tech. microLED is the most advanced. Currently not manufacturable at the pixel densities needed for the Watch, iPads and iPhones. It’s always a few years away. (Mini-LED is a traditional LCD tech but with a newer backlight technology.)

 

[Tanax]

So no new Airpods Pro?

 

[cupcakes2000]

I strongly disagree. A tablet is much more similar in use to a phone than to a desktop/laptop. There is nothing static in a tablet interface or its use that would warrant such a concern. The tablet also doesn't stay plugged in for as many hours as a normal computer. It's just a different device, and all the other premium tablets on the market are OLED at this point. Except Apple.

Well i use my ipad every day, all day. Just like a computer. In fact I use it to operate my Mac Mini via Jump Desktop too. I would be rather annoyed if they had image retention or any sort of burn in.

No other tablet on the market comes close to an iPad, so I dont know why you keep bringing them up.

 

[VARTV]

Burn-in. OLED works best for content that is not in a fixed position for long periods of time. TVs these days have computer style interfaces with a lot of fixed position elements, but there's no expectation that the user will be using the interface for hours at a time. That's different for laptop/desktop use and tablet use. You would expect users to have static elements on the screen in the form of menu systems and tool systems around the clock. That doesn't really fit well with the burn-in limitations of OLED technology.

I have burn-in on my Xs Max. I left the SiriusXM app open for, God knows how long. I can still see the faint outline on my screen...

 

[ValO]

A new iPad Mini with slimmer bezels is top of my list. Give me one of those and I'll switch out my iPhone 12 Pro Max for an iPhone Mini, and be happy for the rest of my life.

Still waiting for an iPad mini/nano of about 7.3-7.5 inches. With the iPad Pro design and faceID . It would definitely replace my iPhone max, and would get a regular 6.1 inch instead, together with this mini/nano.

Or make a rollable iphone, like the concept that LG has shown (pleas no foldable). Then no more iPad for me.

the Max is to big as a phone, but to small for a tablet.
So a small pocketable mini, and a reg 6.1 inch iPhone or one rollable iPhone please.

 

[PickUrPoison]

I've said before, if the 11" iPad Pro doesn't get updated with 5G and mini-LED, then I will buy nothing. I'm not interested in the 11" iPad Air, given that I already have a iPad Pro 10.5" with Touch ID and various other things.

Apple might or might not discontinue the smaller Pro, who can say? It depends on how well it sells, I suppose. If the Air steals most of the premium 11” form factor sales, the 11” Pro is probably done 🙁

If it is discontinued, the higher-end options will be limited to only the 10.9” Air and a 12.9” Pro. But hopefully, the 11” Pro stays around. Some want an iPad Pro mini, but that would sell even less than the 11” Pro I would guess.

 

[BulkSlash]

I'm getting whiplash with all these AirPods 3 rumors. So far they're going to be just like the Series 2, very similar to the AirPods Pro without ANC and look totally different, like that part leak from the other week. As long as they're not in-ear (which don't fit me well) then I'll be happy.

 

[ksec]

Kuo said roughly eight months ago that Apple has six mini-LED products in its pipeline planned to launch though the end of 2021. The products include a 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, a 27-inch iMac Pro, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, a 10.2.-inch ‌iPad‌, and a 7.9-inch ‌‌iPad‌‌ mini.

The first four item make sense. "Pro" iPad and MacBook

The last two dont. Expensive Mini-LED on iPad mini? But given this is MCK, ( It really should be Kuo Chi Ming, KCM ), Then it means there is "something" using Mini LED.

He got the iPhone SE wrong, because he thought those Power Button Touch ID was going to iPhone, instead it got to iPad.

It is the same case here, something will be using Mini-LED, but it seems wrong to be an iPad mini.

 

[PickUrPoison]

impossible...we will have ipad pros probably at March digital event...otherwise...A15X will be for 2022, since the first A15 will be after Sept-oct

March? I doubt it. iPad Pro is about 17-18 month refresh cycle. A15X in November 2021 wouldn’t be surprising. Nor would June/July with an A14X.

 

[doboy]

This makes no sense. Put the mini-LED in the cheapest iPads that sell in higher volumes. Haha, Kuo must be high.

 

[ocnitsa]

I would like it to be dual bootable between iOS and Big Sur. How about that? While we're at it, throw in one Thunderbolt port instead of USB C. Kk.

 

[fbr$]

I've said before, if the 11" iPad Pro doesn't get updated with 5G and mini-LED, then I will buy nothing. I'm not interested in the 11" iPad Air, given that I already have a iPad Pro 10.5" with Touch ID and various other things.

I had a 11" MacBook Air and saw Apple discontinuing it, hope it doesn't happen again with the 11" iPad Pro.

I have a pretty strict rule: only update a device to a newer one with at least double the RAM.

As my 2020 11" iPad Pro already has 6GB of RAM, I need to jump to at least 12GB in my next iPad, and it will take a nearly a decade for the iPad Air to go from 4GB to 12GB.

For me, the 12.9" iPad Pro is a not an option: too big to be used as a tablet, and not even close to replace a Mac.

 

[satchmo]

I don't know why they even bothered with this week's M1 13" MBP. Hoping the 14" brings true 'pro' features with more ports and more RAM.

 

[philrock]

A new iPad Mini with slimmer bezels is top of my list. Give me one of those and I'll switch out my iPhone 12 Pro Max for an iPhone Mini, and be happy for the rest of my life.

I'm with you. Just traded in my Mini 4 for a new Air. The Air is a great product and I love it but it's not great for my style of use. I much prefer the smaller, lighter formfactor of a Mini.

 

[TomOSeven]

those tv...after 4-5 years their blue pixels are fade away
On ipad its true that the display doesnt stay On as much...for most...but who knows

You're suggesting people use their TV for more hours a week than their iPads?

I doubt that very much. I don't have a TV, but most people I know use it for 3 hour stretches maybe twice a week, so ten hours a week if you really want to be generous.