- Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new MacBook Pro and a new iPad Pro in 2020 with an improved display that would offer better contrast, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
- The devices would use a display technology known as mini-LED, according to Kuo, which is said to offer better contrast than standard LED-backlit panels while remaining less expensive than OLED screens.
- That could represent an important improvement for Apple's MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, considering several Windows rivals come with OLED displays.
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Apple is planning to release a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro with a new type of display that would offer better contrast, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities.
Kuo's predictions, which were reported by MacRumors and other outlets, suggest that the new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro would both feature screens made with mini-LED technology. The new 12.9-inch iPad is said to be released in the third quarter of 2020, while the new 16-inch MacBook Pro would debut in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Mini-LED displays are known to offer sharper contrast than standard LCD panels at a cheaper price than OLED displays, as both CNET and PCWorld note. That could help Apple keep pace with Windows rivals that offer OLED displays, such as the Dell XPS 15 and HP Spectre X360 15.
Apple's line of laptops and tablets use LED-backlit displays rather than OLED screens. OLED displays typically offer more noticeable contrast and deeper blacks than LED screens, but they're also usually more expensive. Apple's iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max use OLED screens, while the cheaper iPhone 11 has an LCD panel.
Although Apple's recently launched 16-inch MacBook Pro has a sharp, high-resolution screen, during my review I did notice that colors popped more boldly on the Dell XPS 15's OLED screen compared to Apple's. In his research note, Kuo points out that the addition of a mini-LED screen will make Apple's new laptop and tablet better for productivity and entertainment.
Apple just debuted its 16-inch MacBook Pro in November, which features a larger screen, a revamped keyboard that ditches the much-criticized butterfly mechanism for a new one inspired by its popular Magic keyboard, and additional configuration options. The company hasn't refreshed its iPad Pro line since October in 2018, but Bloomberg reports that the company is planning to release a new model next year with 3-D cameras.
