Evidence continues to grow that 2021 will bring an iPad with mini-LED, a type of display that will make the tablet look noticeably better than Apple’s current models.
An unconfirmed report says LG Display will supply this cutting-edge screen to Apple, with production supposedly begining before the end of 2020. Earlier leaks indicated this will go into an iPad Pro that’ll debut in the first half of 2021.
How a mini-LED iPad would beat traditional LEDs
Current iPads have traditional LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens. These don’t glow, so they need LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) providing a backlight.
A better option is OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), as each pixel does glow, removing the need for a backlight. This type of screen is used in iPhones. But OLEDs cost more than LCDs with LEDs.
That’s why Apple is allegedly moving to mini-LED as a compromise. This type of screen has thousands of small LEDs providing the backlight, far more than with a standard LCD. That gives the computer much greater control over backlighting, so some on-screen objects can be brightly lit but others left dim.
Enhancing the 2020 iPad Pro and MacBooks?
The report that LG Display will produce mini-LED screens for Apple iPad came from Korea IT News on Tuesday. It echoes previous reports that were even more specific. Digitimes said in September that the innovative display will go into an upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro that will be out “in early 2021.”
And the mini-LED tablet will allegedly have 5G cellular-wireless connectivity, following up on the first 5G-enabled iPhone 12. Plus, the next iPad Pro will supposedly be built around an A14X processor, the same chip family used in the 2020 iPad Air 4 and the new iPhone 12, too.
MacBooks with mini-LED screens are expected in the second half of 2021.
