LG Possibly Developing Three New Apple Displays, Including Pro Display XDR With Apple Silicon Chip

[deconstruct60]

True, but we have multiple reports that Apple is working on new displays that will be smaller and cheaper than the Pro Display XDR.

Do you? Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on "a display". Not a vast line up.

Apple Said to Be Working on Lower-Priced External Monitor to Succeed Thunderbolt Display

Apple has started early development of a lower-priced external monitor that would be sold alongside its high-end Pro Display XDR, according to...

www.macrumors.com

This current rumors doesn't strictly point to Apple banded solutions for all of them. These are LG panels which aren't necessarily 100% committed to Apple for the entire production run. There is an echo chamber impact when analysts start folding their guesses in with the other guesses they read.

I think folks want Apple to go back to the early 2000's and have a relatively (for Apple) large array of monitors.... but Apple has been off of that path for more than a decade. At most one and limited to display docking station monitors. Going just to two would be a large leap for Apple. Apple going back to the risk factor of three is a stretch.

Almost implies that Apple has decommitted to iMacs being front runner desktop solution. I find that doubtful. ( although they are dragging feet on iMac 27" , but understandable if pushing some (or all) of them to mini-LED in current supply chain 'drama'. )

Yes, that does not mean Apple will brand them, but it does not preclude it, either. And with Apple willing to release a $5000 display, they could very well be willing to release less expensive displays to fill out the line.

Apple could jump back into doing printers too but it just isn't very likely. The lower half of the monitor range has lots of commodity pricing factors at play. Apple loves to sells monitors for long periods of time at a fixed price. The Thunderbolt display was the same price all the way up until the end.

A $5K monitor with a huge low volume tax on it. $999 stand with an even higher "low volume" tax on it. Same "even higher" tax on the VESA adapter. ( so no way to at least some "even higher" tax. )

There being no other Apple labeled options is actually sucking even more folks who have more money than sense into buying the XDR. ( augmenting the ones it is actually built for. e.g., earlier in thread had some audio workload person insisting that an XDR was essential to being a DJ. ) Why would Apple leave that money on the table?

Based on the number of threads and posts, the LG UltraFine monitors appear to have much more variability in their image quality compared to the iMac 5K. So Apple appears to be doing some sort of validation / adjustment of every iMac 5K display towards a common standard whereas LG appears to not be doing so.

Apple is probably cherry picking parts. But not necessarily going to see same variability with mini-LED foundation. And the 24" even if doesn't have mini-LED , factory color certs has just moved down market from the era when the Ultrafines first were in design specs. HDR is an uplift even in the lower "half" of monitor market.

As such, if Apple decided to brand this new display, I would expect it to have very similar image quality to an iMac Pro - just as the 27" iMac and 27" Cinema Display / Thunderbolt Display did.

Apple having a higher markup may-may not get better panels. Depends upon how much pricing leverage LG can get. And if LG can find another to offload some panels that Apple passes on to someone else. ( Ultrafine doesn't have to primarily "vacuum" those up. )

It is also going to help if Windows 11 does a better job of hiDPI (goes to the offload options).

 

[Black Diesel]

Am I the only one who wants (2) additional displays with a 27" iMac? Will this work in 2022 or will iMac only push one external display?

 

[CWallace]

Do you? Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on "a display". Not a vast line up.

So many rumors and predictions running around I lose track, but it all started back in 2020 when MCK noted Apple was sourcing a 27" MiniLED panel that at the time he presumed would be for an updated Intel iMac Pro.

I think folks want Apple to go back to the early 2000's and have a relatively (for Apple) large array of monitors.... but Apple has been off of that path for more than a decade. At most one and limited to display docking station monitors. Going just to two would be a large leap for Apple. Apple going back to the risk factor of three is a stretch.

Cook shed a fair bit of markets that Apple was formerly in to focus on new projects. But now that many of those projects have advanced to maturity, it is not beyond the realm of possibility he is now looking at re-entering old markets - especially markets where the third-party OEMs have failed to match Apple's polish (displays, networking, etc) - in order to provide new channels for revenue (especially if Services revenue is impacted by current and future legal actions).

A $5K monitor with a huge low volume tax on it. $999 stand with an even higher "low volume" tax on it. Same "even higher" tax on the VESA adapter. ( so no way to at least some "even higher" tax. )

There being no other Apple labeled options is actually sucking even more folks who have more money than sense into buying the XDR. ( augmenting the ones it is actually built for. e.g., earlier in thread had some audio workload person insisting that an XDR was essential to being a DJ. ) Why would Apple leave that money on the table?

Yes a number of people with the means have held their noses and bought an XDR because they had no choice in the matter as the only other Retina option - the LG - was not so fine and non-Retina was just too painful on the eyes.

But I am confident many multiple mores went with non-Retina and are having a sub-optimal experience using them with Macs. I have an $800 ASUS QHD display as my second monitor on my 2020 iMac 5K and I only put secondary stuff I don't look at often on it for as good as it is (and stats-wise it is pretty good), the loss of sharpness compared to the iMac 5K is noticeable even though both are running "native" at 2560x1440.

 

[CWallace]

Am I the only one who wants (2) additional displays with a 27" iMac? Will this work in 2022 or will iMac only push one external display?

The iMac Pro will have at least three, and probably four, TB4 ports and each one can drive a 5K display at 60Hz.

 

[fakestrawberryflavor]

An M1 in a MONITOR????!!?!?!?!?!

Called an iMac ?

 

[fakestrawberryflavor]

I wonder if the 'Apple Silicon Chip' included in the super large display is an external GPU built right in. Assuming its 32" like they said, maybe its a 6k 120 or 8k 120 even, no GPU around has the horsepower to drive such a display for 3d Rending or anything but a basic 2d workflow. A built in external GPU would allow that to be plugged into the current MBPs for example, and it would be able to drive it with extra horsepower.

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

Y'all want it to be "Designed by Apple" until they stick white bezels on anything that costs less than $4,000.

 

[GStevens1]

This is impeccable. I can buy MacBook Pro 16.2inch then and get a new Apple Display. Desktop computers are a risky investment for someone that moves a lot.

Nah. Macbook Pros are good, (I've got a 2013, 2015, etc)... but what's annoying is the $200 I have to spend every 4 years on battery/case replacements. They only have 1-2 battery cycles, but they are so swollen that the laptop spins and swivels on a flat surface if it's gently touched. Maybe that's why the new Macbooks have much taller feet? I think a mac mini + laptop is a good combo... I had a battery go bad in a Lenvo thinkpad and Dell XPS 15.. All it took was removal of one screw (standard screwdriver) and a few dollars.

 

[adhir]

27" imac with m1max and 120hz? sign me up.

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

Maybe the internal chip is just a MAME emulator?

Ahhh...sweet memories playing Galaxian at the chip shop after school in the 70s!!

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

Seems like we have been stuck on 27 inch size 5K panels for ages. Would be nice to see price points lowered under 2000 dollars for 200ppi 5K panels over 27 inches (e.g 32 inch) but I might be in my grave by then.

 

[bluespark]

A 30-32" priced at a prosumer level would get my CC number on day one.

Exactly what I want. I don't need a "pro" display since I'm usually just looking at documents, but I definitely need real-estate. I actually think Apple could be successful with a couple of different displays in this space (large but not super-premium).

 

[eret9616]

can not wait for these happening..

 

[BenRacicot]

True I guess. But they could ship these in a potato sack and if they are MicroLED 120hz 5K displays I would buy three. I, really, at this point, don't care about the design. I care about the specs.

Nice comment, was going to say the same. The currently available monitors are absolutely behind the times. If I see another 1440p monitor announced I’m going to headdesk

 

[macsplusmacs]

Seems like we have been stuck on 27 inch size 5K panels for ages. Would be nice to see price points lowered under 2000 dollars for 200ppi 5K panels over 27 inches (e.g 32 inch) but I might be in my grave by then.

I think Apple and LG (maybe even Samsung) came to a decision that 120hz and 5K microLEDs would be the best that they could do at the current time. Me thinks that a 32" or 30" with microLED etc was a bridge too far.

Sad. I was hoping for 32" imacs (and the same as externals) but... for the price point they want to hit just not doable. I guess we will be here in 5 years when the rumored 32" with even better specs are rumored to ship.

 

[CWallace]

Seems like we have been stuck on 27 inch size 5K panels for ages.

Apple is the only company actively pushing high DPI computer displays. Dell and HPE quickly discontinued their 27" 5K displays because of complexity (it required two DP cables) and lack of interest from PC buyers because Windows doesn't really take advantage of high DPI like macOS does. And no PC OEM ever bothered with offering a display using 21.5" 4K or 24" 4.5K high DPI panels.

So with Apple being the only buyer of the displays, production costs remain (relatively) high because of lack of production volume and releasing new panels in new sizes and resolutions (like 24" 4.5K and 32" 6K) are expensive and only Apple can really use them since Macs have a high-enough premium to absorb that cost.

 

[macsplusmacs]

Apple is the only company actively pushing high DPI computer displays. Dell and HPE quickly discontinued their 27" 5K displays because of complexity (it required two DP cables) and lack of interest from PC buyers because Windows doesn't really take advantage of high DPI like macOS does. And no PC OEM ever bothered with offering a display using 21.5" 4K or 24" 4.5K high DPI panels.

So with Apple being the only buyer of the displays, production costs remain (relatively) high because of lack of production volume and releasing new panels in new sizes and resolutions (like 24" 4.5K and 32" 6K) are expensive and only Apple can really use them since Macs have a high-enough premium to absorb that cost.

Which blows my mind. Then I think of the average windows user, then it does not.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Which blows my mind. Then I think of the average windows user, then it does not.

When the focus is on gaming 1440p is the mainstream choice for most gamers graduating from 1080p and the displays are cheap, and most are pretty good. Different sizes of 1440p panels just roll off the lines without issue, same with 2160p. The race to the bottom crowd isn’t going to invest in exotic resolutions, P3 and 500 nits because their margins are already so slim and the Windows crowd really aren’t picky at all, no matter how much they will protest this post.

 

[cal1]

Called an iMac ?

Yup. An iMac. An iMac.... that you can't load an OS on.

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

Apple is the only company actively pushing high DPI computer displays. Dell and HPE quickly discontinued their 27" 5K displays because of complexity (it required two DP cables) and lack of interest from PC buyers because Windows doesn't really take advantage of high DPI like macOS does. And no PC OEM ever bothered with offering a display using 21.5" 4K or 24" 4.5K high DPI panels.

So with Apple being the only buyer of the displays, production costs remain (relatively) high because of lack of production volume and releasing new panels in new sizes and resolutions (like 24" 4.5K and 32" 6K) are expensive and only Apple can really use them since Macs have a high-enough premium to absorb that cost.

A very logical summary indeed. The price we pay to be genuine Mac users. If only Macs had sales like iPhones ....if only all PC/Windows users converted to Mac OS....

 

[JDHiro]

Apple is the only company actively pushing high DPI computer displays. Dell and HPE quickly discontinued their 27" 5K displays because of complexity (it required two DP cables) and lack of interest from PC buyers because Windows doesn't really take advantage of high DPI like macOS does. And no PC OEM ever bothered with offering a display using 21.5" 4K or 24" 4.5K high DPI panels.

Fun story that's probably lost to time now... I worked at Microsoft on Windows from 2000-2011. Sometime way back around 2001 Dell sent us a bunch of 17" 300 DPI laptops so that we could verify Windows and IE features running at high DPI. The prototype laptops were comical, weighing in around 9lbs, and with screens that were larger the the bodies.

Due to economies of scale, Dell only wanted to move to high-DPI screens if they could be mainstream enough to justify moving entire LCD production lines to the higher resolution. Predictably, windows was very broken at high-DPI as it only understood "resolution" and not scaling at the time. Dell pulled the plug on the whole high-DPI project like 20 years ago because Windows wasn't ready for it.

Fast forward to Windows 8, I pushed really hard for eliminating the concept of "resolution" and just supporting "UI scale". With DVI, most monitors correctly reported their size and resolution with a feature called EDID, so it's technically possible for a PC to know the physical resolution and scale everything accordingly. Some progress was made but there was just too much legacy UI code with pixel locked bitmaps that nobody wanted or knew how to fix. High-DPI in Windows continued to be half-assed.

I left Microsoft in 2011, bought my first MacBook, and never looked back.

 

[jerryc_1119]

While the original report from 9to5Mac mentioned the A13, the report they were working off of said if would be an "Apple SoC" and since the A13 was the latest SoC at the time, that is what 9to5Mac concluded.

So it is possible that instead of an off-the-shelf A series SoC, this could be a custom Apple SoC designed specifically for this display ("D1"?) and handle tasks like calibration, Airplay support, image processing, etc.

Apple TV built in?

 

[jerryc_1119]

What would A13 do in a display though?

Apple TV built in?

 

[CWallace]

AppleTV functionality really only makes sense for a standalone television since you can stream video on macOS already either via the web or via an app.

And I think the plans for a standalone television passed when Jobs did (and AppleTV hardware again became a "hobby" rather than a serious product line). I expect he was the force behind what would become the TV App and Cook and Company did not have the Force of Personality that Jobs did to bend all the cable and streaming companies to his will and make the TV App - which was supposed to be a one-stop-shop for all your streaming and cable content - what he planned it to be. I also expect the idea for what is now AppleTV+ started with him.

 

[marinersaptcomplex]

I use my MBP 14" on a stand beside my 27" LG monitor, and honestly, I am thinking of swapping this one for a used 21.5" Ultrafine. 27" is just way too big for any of my needs. I'd rather have two 21.5" monitors (not to mention that sweet sweet high PPI) than an enormous 27-32 inch. BUT, I absolutely won't buy a 24" Apple branded monitor if it has white bezels. My office is all in dark shades and it will stick out like a sore thumb.