Apple May Be Delaying its Mini-LED Product Lineup to 2021, Says Kuo

Apple’s migration to mini-LED may be pushed back into 2021. The company may have been able to weather the storm caused by COVID-19. However, plans to manufacture and release products integrated with the new display technology have been impacted, say esteemed Apple analyst Kuo.

According to a research note with TF International Securities, MacRumors reports that expects mass production of mini-LED chips, panels, and assembly are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020. Production will continue through the fourth quarter, all the way through to Q1 2021.

This appears to only be a minor hiccup in the longterm plan Apple has for mini-LED displays. Kuo’s notes later said: “We believe that investors do not need to worry too much about the extension of the mini LED schedule, because mini LED is a key technology that Apple will promote in the next 5 years, so even if the short-term schedule is affected by the new coronary pneumonia, it will not damage the long-term positive trend.”

It was previously reported that Apple planned to release a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a refreshed 16-inch Macbook Pro. Both displays were expected to be mini-LED and were rumoured to release in the second half of 2020.

Kuo’s notes point to the possibility of a 14.1-inch Macbook Pro with the mini-LED display being developed. The recent research notes have not indicated an expected release window, however. The notes from Kuo also encourage investors to pay close attention to mini-LED trends. Apple’s adoption of the technology will likely force competitors to adopt and release similar products.