Malcolm Owen
A rumored Apple 27-inch display using mini LED backlighting may not arrive in early 2023 after all, with an analyst claiming Apple has shelved the project — at least temporarily.
Rumors circulated about a pro-level 27-inch display since the introduction of the Studio Display. As a screen that lacks HDR, ProMotion, and the improved mini LED backlighting as found in other Apple products, an upgrade was thought to be on the way.
However, in a Monday tweet by Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young shared with paying super followers, Apple has "killed off the 27" display completely."
According to Young, Apple did make some progress with the panel, with some shipping to the supply chain in 2022, but they did not make it into a consumer-facing product at all. The display may still be used in a future product though, as Young offers that the pause is "at least for now."
Young previously advised of a 27-inch mini LED display launch for early 2023 back in October 2022. Again, that tweet was shared to super followers on Twitter, making it visible only to paying members.
Apple already employs mini LED in the displays of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. A replacement for traditional LED backlighting, mini LED enables for higher contrast levels close to those of OLED, localized dimming, and a generally more vibrant display.
An updated display would give consumers an effectively smaller and probably cheaper alternative to the Pro Display XDR, a 6K 32-inch screen that has localized dimming for high contrast ratios. While the Studio Display offers Apple's aesthetics and a generally well-designed screen, the lack of display features makes it less of a small Pro Display XDR than it could've been.
If it ever ships, the 27-inch mini LED display stands to become the mini Pro Display XDR that rumor followers wanted.
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Charles Martin
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27 Comments
Wth the article out today that Mac sales dropped 40% YoY, and the one about Samsung cutting back because of low sales, all blamed on the slow economy, it might just not be a good time to release a premium display. Not when you can get “good enough” for would likely be half the price.
If you don’t build it, you can’t sell it, a new 27 inch or a 32 inch iMac will sell even in these so-called perilous times, the same goes for a new Mac pro using Apple Silicon chips. Sitting on a 27” 2011 iMac….. with a hole in the pocket, waiting for Apple to produce.
No problem, then release the 27 inch iMac. Still waiting to replace my current 27 inch iMac….
I’ll wait until Apple has its quarterly report later this month before I start thinking about sales. As for this monitor, if true, it’s a big disappointment. I have the current 27” model and it’s really very good. I would buy this one if it came out. My wife wants the one I have, if I did, and a new M2 Mini to replace her 2017 27” iMac. Now, I’m not sure how this will work out. But, as it said here, this could just be a delay. I hope so.
I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs. As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing"
When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo.
Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED? Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale. Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED.
This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies.