2020 iPad Pro Models Might Have This Feature, Report Says

A renowned analyst for Apple devices predicts that the Cupertino tech giant will release a high-end iPad Pro model that has a new kind of display next year, a report says.

TF International Securities’ noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently released a research note saying Apple plans to release a high-end iPad Pro model between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. The research note, seen by MacRumors, specified that the alleged iPad Pro model will feature what is called a Mini-LED display.

Kuo said the 2020 iPad Pro, as well as a high-end MacBook model for release during the same period, will each have 10,000 LEDs backlighting the display. Each LED is said to be below 200 microns in size, which makes them smaller than 0.2mm.

The 2020 iPad Pro display uses a lot more LEDs compared to Apple’s upcoming Pro Display XDR. The standalone display uses only 576 LEDs, albeit each LED is also significantly larger than the ones on the iPad Pro’s Mini-LED display.

What is Mini-LED anyway?

Mini-LED is different from micro-LED, CNet noted. Mini-LED is a different way of backlighting LCD displays. Apple can be expected to benefit from choosing Mini-LED over OLED panels, and this is because of several reasons, Kuo said.

First, Mini-LED is said to be cheaper than micro-LED, but still offers most of the good stuff OLED displays have such as a wide color gamut, better contrast ratios, a good dynamic range, and the ability to do all of that while consuming less energy.

Second, Mini-LED doesn’t suffer from the burn-in issues that OLED displays face. This will be an attractive feature especially in a time when most devices use OLED panels.

Third, by using Mini-LED, Apple will be able to lower its dependency on Samsung for display panels. LG Display will be the one supplying Apple with Mini-LED panels, and other companies such as Avary Holding, Epistar, Nichia, Radiant Opto-Electronics, TSMT and Zhen Ding will supply it with other Mini-LED components.

Confirmed?

A report from Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes revealed that according to the president of Epistar, Chin-Yung Fan, the company’s clients are already working on notebooks, tablets, smartphones and monitors that use Mini-LED backlighting systems. Epistar is one of Apple’s suppliers.

Epistar’s president’s comment seems to confirm Kuo’s prediction. Simply put, fans should expect to see new iPad Pro and MacBook models using Mini-LED displays next year.