Forward-looking: The latest iPad Pro has been praised for its gorgeous Mini LED screen, but it's only available on the more expensive 12.9-inch model. According to a new report, however, Apple is set to introduce a Mini LED version of its 11-inch tablet next year, when it will also add the technology to its latest MacBooks.
At its April Spring Loaded event, Apple confirmed long-running rumors that the next iPad Pro would feature Mini LED tech and the M1 chip. The larger, 12.9-inch tablet boasts the same Liquid Retina XDR display found in the $5,000 ProDisplay XDR for the Mac Pro. The 10,000 Mini LED touch display features 2,596 local dimming zones, 1,000 nits brightness with 1,600 nits peak, and a million-to-one contrast ratio.
In a note to investors (via AppleInsider), renowned Apple analysts Ming-Chi Kuo said the Liquid Retina Display would be trickling down to the 11-inch iPad next year. "We predict that new products equipped with Mini LED displays in 2022 include 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro," Kuo writes.
The analyst believes Apple will push the display technology to a number of its devices. Kuo said 14-inch and a 16-inch Mini LED-sporting MacBook Pros will go into mass production in the third quarter of 2021, and a redesigned MacBook Air with a Liquid Retina XDR display will arrive in 2022.
Mini LED production was reportedly behind supply constraints for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro before launch, and it still has a 2 to 3 week shipping time when ordered from Apple's website, while the 11-inch model is listed as 3 to 5 days. Hopefully, the issues will be resolved by the time more Mini LED Apple devices go into production.