Apple’s Mini-LED Displays to be Introduced in Next iPad Pro

In a followup to a report from earlier this week, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has further detailed Apple’s plans to adopt mini-LED displays in its products. Previously, Kuo has said that Apple is accelerating its plans due to advanced development from a secondary supplier Sanan Optoelectronics.

Kuo has issued a new report, seen by MacRumors. According to Kuo, Epistar will continue to be Apple’s primary source for mini-LED chips. However, partnering with Sanan Optoelectronics and others should be a relatively quick endeavour. Kuo has said that the efficiency of Apple’s partners has allowed the mini-LED initiative to move from a “technology development” phase to a “economies of scale/cost” phase.

Between Epistar and Sanan Optoelectronics, mini-LED development has been kicked-off. Kuo believes that Apple has six iPad and Mac products with mini-LED displays in development. They are all slated to release by the end of 2021. However, it is suggested that shipments of mini-LED chips will begin coming through by the end of the year.

A snippet from Kuo’s report reads: “Apple’s mini LED dies will be mass-produced in 4Q20, but due to yield issues related to the production process of display module materials, the 4Q20 display shipments have been revised down by 50% to 300,000-400,000. We believe that the mini LED display in 4Q20 will be used for the new ‌iPad Pro‌.”

The initial batch of chips is said to be for a new iPad Pro. It has been long-rumoured that Apple’s first device with a mini-LED display will be a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Kuo has also believe that Apple’s first mini-LED device would be a iPad Pro in the past.