Another new report has corroborated that Apple has a mini-LED MacBook Pro refresh coming sooner rather than later. DigiTimes reports today that the mini-LED MacBook Pro update is set for release in the “second half of 2021” and Apple has a new supplier ready to join in production.
The report explains:
There had been some concerns about potential delays for the mini-LED screens coming to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models due to production difficulties. The mini-LED 12.9-inch iPad Pro is currently widely backordered, and its new Liquid Retina XDR display is said to be the bottleneck in that process.
Osram Opto Semiconductors reportedly will become a new supplier of miniLED for backlighting Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup slated for launch in the second half of 2021, according to industry sources.
As a refresher, mini-LED is a new form of backlighting that is used for LCD screens. It offers many of the same benefits as OLED, but oftentimes can offer increased brightness, improved power efficiency, and a lower risk of burn-in.
The new MacBook Pros are expected to feature a new design with flat edges, taking cues from the iPad Pro and iPhone 12. Bloomberg had previously reported that the new models could come as soon as this summer. Jon Prosser has reported that the new MacBooks will be announced at WWDC next week. Both of these timelines could match up with “second half of 2021.”
Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro updates will feature Apple Silicon inside. Bloomberg has reported that the chips will feature eight high-performance cores and two efficiency cores, available in either 16-core GPU or 32-core GPU configurations. The overhauled machines are also expected to feature new ports, such as HDMI and SD cards.
You can find our full roundup of what to expect at WWDC 2021 this year right here.
