Guangfa Securities analyst Jeff Pu said today that Apple plans to release several high-end devices with mini-LED screens in 2021, including a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro in the first quarter, a new 16-inch MacBook Pro in the second quarter and a new 27-inch iMac later this year.
The timeline coincides with Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's previous view.
Kuo recently said that Apple suppliers plan to begin mass production of the relevant components between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. Devices with mini-LEDs will be released next year.
Kuo said several months ago that Apple plans to release six mini-LED products by the end of 2021, including 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, 27-inch iMac Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 10.2-inch iPad and 7.9-inch iPad mini.
The analyst said that mini-LED technology will lead to a thinner, lighter product design, while offering many of the same benefits as the OLED screens used on the latest iPhones, including improved contrast and dynamic range.
The switch to mini-LED screens will also move Apple away from Samsung's dominant OLED screen market, according to research firm TrendForce, which also expects to launch a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini-LED screens in 2021.
Apple is reportedly investing more than $300 million in a new factory in Taiwan, which is expected to produce mini-LED and micro-LED screen components for future devices.
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