A new report from DigiTimes says that a mini-LED M1 MacBook Pro and and mini-LED iPad Pro models are coming in the first half of 2021. The report says that the former will debut in the second quarter and the latter in the first quarter.
The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) says DigiTimes’ timetable is accurate. However, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that iPad Pros with mini-LED screens won’t arrive until the second half of 2021. However, he does expect to see M1-equipped 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros in the first half of next year.
Mini-LEDs sport a local dimming function with a contrast effect similar to that of OLED displays. However, on some product lines, costs for mini-LED backlit displays may even be lower than their OLED counterparts, according to LEDinside. Mini-LED products are as thin as those using OLED technology so they consume less power than traditional LED screens, and they cost 70-80% less to produce than OLED displays, although their performance is similar.
