I suspected that Apple is planning a new external display “for the rest of us” (the rest of us not being about to afford the US$5,000 Pro Display XDR). However, 9to5Mac says says the tech giant is also planning for a new display to replace the Uber-pricey monitor.
Here’s what 9to5Mac says: The new display is being developed under the codename J327, but at this point, details about technical specifications are unclear. According to sources, this display will have an Apple-made SoC, which right now is the A13 Bionic chip — the same one used in the iPhone 11 lineup.
Along with the A13 chip, the external display features the Neural Engine, which accelerates machine learning tasks. Although rumors suggest that Apple has been working on a less expensive display for regular users, the new external display with a dedicated SoC will likely be a new model to replace the current Pro Display XDR in the future.
Meanwhile, let’s hope for a more affordable Apple-made display to work with iPad Pros and Mac laptops. Apple discontinued its Thunderbolt Displays in 2016 (which was a bad idea). Since ditching its own display line, the company has been recommending LG’s UltraFine 4K and 5K monitors, which are okay, but they lack the oomph factor and gorgeous looks of the late, lamented Thunderbolt Displays.
New Apple monitors would make a great candidate for not only a 16-inch MacBook Pro, but also the current MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. If/when the tech company does release new displays, let’s hope they’ll be available in both 4K and 5K versions — and with all the ports of an iMac, not just the USB-C ports on the current LG monitors.
