WolkyTech

iPad Pro is getting a killer display upgrade — it's coming sooner than you think

General

Even though Apple just announced the new iPad Pro in March, rumors persist that a new model with a Mini-LED display is on the way. And according to new leaked information, the wait for it may not be that long.

The information comes from Korea's ETNews, which reports that LG will supply Apple with the Mini-LED display needed for the new iPad Pro, which will begin mass production by the end of the year. This will make the new iPad Pro ready for launch in early 2021, about a year after the release of the latest iPad Pro.

For those who don't know, Mini-LEDs are a significant improvement over the existing LCD and OLED displays we typically see in cell phones; they are made up of tiny clusters of LEDs that use less power than traditional LCD displays and deliver better color and contrast than OLED displays deliver better color and contrast than OLED displays, while using less power than traditional LCD displays.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst (via MacRumors), the use of Mini-LED displays in the iPad Pro is only the first step toward mass adoption of Mini-LED technology. At this time, the technology is rarely used and consequently expensive. However, the iPad Pro is known for its expensive and premium feature set, making it a great opportunity to introduce a new display.

According to Kuo, if that happens, there will likely be a flood of companies trying to compete to supply future displays. If that happens, the cost of the mini-LED displays could drop, allowing them to be included in other devices.

Most notable is Kuo's prediction that at least six Macs and iPads will have Mini-LED displays by the end of next year. Eventually, given enough time and a drop in price, they will be on iPhones and possibly on the Apple Watch. If Kuo's prediction is correct, it will probably not be on the iPhone 13, but perhaps on the iPhone 14 or later.

Other rumors suggest that this Mini-LED iPad will have a 12.9-inch display, 5G, and an A14x chip. Especially if it will have the LiDAR scanner that was announced in March.