Korea's ETNews today reports that LG will supply Apple with Mini-LED displays for new iPad models set to launch in the first quarter of 2021. The report, highlighted by Patently Apple, claims that LG will likely begin mass production of the displays at the end of this year.
Mini-LED backlighting provides many of the same benefits as OLED displays, including higher brightness, improved contrast ratio, and increased power efficiency.
Rumors of a Mini-LED iPad Pro have been plentiful. Back in June, cryptic-but-reliable leaker L0vetodream said that Apple planned to launch new iPad Pro models with an A14X chip, 5G, and a Mini-LED display in the first half of 2021. Multiple sources have claimed this iPad Pro will be a 12.9-inch model, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and DigiTimes.
Apple last refreshed the iPad Pro in March, but it was a relatively minor update, with new features including an A12Z Bionic chip that is essentially an A12X chip with an extra GPU core enabled, an Ultra Wide camera that enables 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, and better sounding microphones. It was the first update to the iPad Pro since the device received a major redesign in October 2018.
Today's report claims that Apple also plans to use Mini-LED displays for future MacBook and iMac models, as previously rumored.
