lcd

Apple Watch Ultra may get bigger, pricier microLED display in 2026

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 diver
Think Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a big screen? Well, it's probably going to get significantly larger.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2’s generously large display, expected to switch from OLED to microLED, will come out later than previously estimated, grow by 10% in size and cost more, according to a research company.

Other recent estimates pushed back the launch time frame to 2025, but now it may actually be 2026.

New 27-inch iMac could get new colors but miss out on mini-LED upgrade

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The new M1 iMacs come in a range of vivid colors.
It could be as colorful as the 24-inch model.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s upcoming 27-inch iMac refresh could miss out on the mini-LED upgrade that this year graced iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. A new report, citing industry sources, claims the all-in-one computer will stick with more-familiar LCD panels instead.

The same sources also say the new 27-inch iMac will be available in a range of color options, just like the 24-inch model introduced in May.

Apple could bring OLED display to iPad Air in 2022, iPad Pro in 2023

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Apple Smart Folio for iPad Pro, iPad Air
But what about Mini-LED?
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to bring OLED displays to iPad next year, with iPad Pro to get the same treatment in 2023, according to a new report.

The switch will begin with a 10.68-inch rigid panel, likely destined for iPad Air, sources say. Apple has already transitioned its iPhone lineup to OLED screens after first bringing the technology to iPhone X in 2017.

What you need to know about 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s swanky new mini-LED display

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There’s more 2021 iPad Pro RAM than in any previous Apple tablet.
The larger iPad Pro packs a mini-LED screen, but what exactly does that mean?
Photo: Apple

The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro boasts a swanky mini-LED display, making it the first Apple tablet without a traditional LCD screen.

Apple calls the mini-LED screen in the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro a “Liquid Retina XDR display.” The new technology brings a welcome boost to the iPad’s display quality. And it seems likely that mini-LEDs will show up in MacBook Pros and other Apple gear in the near future.

“This is the display you have to see to believe,” said iPad marketing manager Raja Bose during Apple’s mind-blowing “Spring Loaded” event on Tuesday.

But what exactly are mini-LED displays, and how do they differ from LCD or even OLED or micro-LED screens? Don’t worry: We’ve got the answers to your questions.

This inexpensive portable display makes working from home easier [Review]

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Lepow Z1-Gamut review: Portable, affordable display
Whether for work or entertainment, the Lepow Z1-Gamut makes a fine MacBook companion.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Lepow Z1-Gamut external display adds 15.6 inches of extra space to your computer for work or school. And it’s portable, so it can be folded away when not needed. The screen connects easily to a Mac or iPad, and costs under $200.

End of an era: Samsung Display will stop making LCD panels this year

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iPhone XR
Apple and others are getting out of the LCD game.
Photo: Apple

Samsung Display, which supplies screens for iPhones, has said that it will end all production of LCD panels in South Korea and China by the end of 2020. A spokesperson for the company made the announcement Tuesday.

“We will supply LCD orders to our customers by end of this year without any issues”, the company said in a statement. However, from the end of 2020 it will make no more LCD screens as suppliers, Apple included, move to embrace OLED and other next-gen display types.

Late 2020 iPad Pro could be the first with a next-gen Mini LED display

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2018 iPad Pro sizes: 2018 iPad Pro sizes
Apple has big plans for iPad Pro in 2020.
Photo: Apple

An upcoming iPad Pro refresh could be the first to introduce a next-generation Mini LED display, a new report reveals.

Innolux is said to be joining Apple’s supply chain this year specifically to supply new iPad Pro panels. Jingdian, another Mini LED supplier, is expected to be the primary supplier and may have already started shipping orders.

iPhone 12 Pro with faster 5G may not arrive until 2021, analysts warn

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iphone xs upgrade
An iPhone with mmWave 5G could be more than a year away.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expected to introduce its first iPhones with 5G later this year. But if you want an iPhone 12 Pro with the fastest possible 5G speeds, you could be waiting until 2021.

A new report claims that mmWave 5G, which is up to ten times faster than LTE, probably won’t make its way to iPhone this year. That means a successor to iPhone 11 with an LCD screen could be the only model available this fall.

2020 iPad Pro could pack brand-new display technology

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2018 iPad Pro display
Mini-LED screens could make iPad Pro even greater.
Photo: Apple

You might want to think twice about upgrading your iPad Pro this year. A new report claims Apple could deliver a more significant refresh with brand-new display technology as early as 2020.

The same technology, which is expected to use approximately 10,000 tiny LEDs, could also appear in a new MacBook around the same time, according to one reliable analyst.

Struggling iPhone display-maker suffers another big blow

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iPhone XR
Apple won't give up on JDI.
Photo: Apple

An effort to save struggling LCD manufacturer Japan Display (JDI) has reportedly been scrapped.

The firm leading the bailout with a ¥63 billion ($557 million) investment this week pulled out of a potential deal, according to people familiar with the matter.

The future of JDI now looks uncertain — but strong demand for iPhone 11 is helping its bottom line.

2020 iPhone could get blazing-fast display upgrade

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iPhone XS gaming
The first iPhone with ProMotion?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The 2020 iPhone lineup could bring a huge display upgrade that will put it on par with iPad Pro in terms of refresh rate.

One leaker says Apple is “considering” 120Hz panels for next year’s handsets. It would be the first time its ProMotion technology has graced an OLED screen since its debut in 2017.

Struggling Apple display maker loses key investors

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iPhone XR test
Japan Display makes LCD displays for the iPhone XR.
Photo: Apple

Struggling Apple display maker Japan Display has received some bad news. TPK Holdings, a panel maker that also works with Apple, revealed that it won’t invest a proposed $230 million after all.

Japan Display has been on the search for companies willing to throw it a lifeline. TPK was part of a hoped-for $723 million bailout.

Apple display-maker gets lifesaving cash influx

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
Japan Display is the main supplier for iPhone XR screens.
Photo: Apple

Apple display maker Japan Display revealed today that it has signed a 232 billion yen ($2.1 billion) deal that will bail-out the struggling company.

The deal gives a Chinese-Taiwanese conglomerate a 49.8% stake in the company, making it the biggest shareholder.

Apple could adopt mini LED backlighting for a giant iMac

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iMac
It's about time the iMac was redesigned.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expected to adopt mini LED backlighting technology this year to further improve color gamut, contrast ratio, and high dynamic range in its displays.

A brand new 31.6-inch iMac will be the first machine to offer the new display technology, sources claim. It will then make its way to the iPad and other Apple computers in 2020.

Apple secures new supplier for Apple Watch Series 5 screens

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new Apple customers
Apple Watch could be better than ever next year.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Japan Display will supply OLED screens for the upcoming Apple Watch Series 5, according to a new report.

This will be the Japan Display’s first foray into OLED screens. The deal is said to be a “breakthrough” for the company, which has been suffering as a result of Apple’s move from LCD to OLED displays for the iPhone.

Japan Display still owes Apple for $1.5 billion factory

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
The LCD iPhone hasn't been the hit some hoped for.
Photo: Apple

Struggling display maker Japan Display reportedly still owes Apple a whole lot of cash for one of its factories.

Apple paid a large chunk of the $1.5 billion in costs to build an LCD factory in 2015. In return, Japan Display would pay Apple a percentage of screen sales. Unfortunately, things have gone south since then — and Japan Display’s factory is running at only half capacity. Due to the way the deal is structured, the company reportedly owes Apple “a majority of the construction cost.”

Apple plans complete switch to OLED iPhone displays in 2020

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iphone XS
Every iPhone display will look this good one day.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to use OLED displays in all iPhone versions from 2020, according to a new report.

The flagship iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max already use OLED technology, but the more affordable iPhone XR employs an LCD panel just like its predecessors. A complete switch to OLED will allow for “more flexible handset design,” sources say.

Mystery iPhone spotted in Apple code hints at surprising refresh

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iOS 11 Beta 4
It's a great time to buy older Apple devices.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is expected to introduce three new smartphones this fall — all of which will include some of the best features of iPhone X. But it seems it could have another surprising refresh up its sleeve.

One developer has discovered references to an unreleased device that closely resembles the iPhone 7.

Apple orders future iPhone displays from LG

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6.5- and 6.1-inch 2018 iPhone models
Complications could keep us waiting for Apple’s more affordable iPhone.
Photo: OnLeaks

Apple has ordered more than 24 million iPhone displays from LG as it prepares to start manufacturing its next-generation devices.

The South Korean company is expected to supply around 20 million LCD panels for the all-new 6.1-inch iPhone, plus 4 million OLED panels for a flagship model.

LG is also said to become the primary supplier of OLED displays for next year’s devices.