Apple Expected to ‘Dominate’ Mini-LED Display Market | Which New Devices Will Finally Get Mini-LED?

iPad Concept Render with Mini LED Credit: @ld_vova / Twitter
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When Apple launched its first mini-LED iPad Pro last year, it not only surprised consumers with the stunning new screen technology, but it seems it also took the display industry by storm.

Apple called its new iPad Pro display the “Liquid Retina XDR” and drew favorable comparisons to its $5,000 Pro Display XDR. It wasn’t long before the new mini-LED displays found their way into Apple’s higher-end MacBook Pro models.

According to a new report from supply chain analyst Leo Liu at DSCC, Apple’s use of mini-LED displays in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup already drove the average quarterly shipments of mini-LED panels and components beyond the one million mark in 2021 — and it’s expected to climb even higher this year.

This optimistic forecast is partly because the mini-LED-equipped MacBooks only hit the market in the final quarter of 2021. However, Liu notes they had “outstanding sales results” in that quarter, so Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup alone makes for a “very promising” forecast for 2022.

However, Apple doesn’t plan to stop with the current product lineup. While rumor has it that the 11-inch iPad Pro will skip the XDR screen this year, that may be a result of Apple’s much bigger plans for mini-LED.

Apple’s ‘Studio Display Pro’

First is the rumor that an Apple Studio Display Pro is waiting in the wings — a new product that could be unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

It’s this alleged mini-LED display that many analysts, including DSCC’s Ross Young, mistook for the much-rumored 27-inch iMac Pro.

It’s not surprising, considering the resemblance; even Apple’s standard Studio Display features an A13 chip, a 12-megapixel camera, a six-speaker hi-fi system, and a collection of USB-C and Thunderbolt ports.

Considering that the Liquid Retina XDR on the iPad Pro is already a match for Apple’s expensive Pro Display XDR, it’s conceivably possible that this new “Studio Display Pro” (or, perhaps, “Studio Display XDR”) could give the older 2019 display a run for its money — especially if Apple can bring it with a much lower price tag.

That’s not the only place where mini-LED screens could make an appearance. While other rumors need to be taken with a healthier dose of salt, some report it could come to the new M2 MacBook Air, which is expected to launch later this year.

While we haven’t heard much about this recently, and we remain skeptical, it’s not impossible; Apple could still reserve the faster 120Hz “ProMotion” refresh rates for the higher-end MacBook Pro lineup.

Either way, the folks at DSCC expect Apple’s product to “dominate” mini-LED shipments not just this year but for the next few.

According to the latest update, Apple’s products will dominate mini-LED shipments in the next few years. Leo Liu, DSCC

Interestingly, Liu also predicts that Apple’s expansion of its mini-LED supply chain for its higher-end products will have a ripple effect that will allow it to bring the technology into more models.

Apple will start to adopt suppliers from China starting this quarter, which will enable substantial cost reduction of the mini-LED backlight. Cost reduction and vertical integration will drive mini-LED affordability, which will drive higher volumes. Apple may be willing to adopt mini-LEDs into more models.Leo Liu, DSCC

As Apple expands its supply chain, it will drive the costs of mini-LED production down, allowing the displays to be made more affordable at scale. In other words, Apple’s investment in mini-LED on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the rumored ‘Studio Display Pro’ is precisely what will eventually allow it to arrive on the 11-inch iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and possibly even the iPad Air.

Liu predicts that mini-LED shipments will increase to more than 40 million units by 2026, with Apple expected to consume the bulk of these. It’s a safe bet that we will see mini-LED arrive in a lot more Apple products over the next few years.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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