Apple's long-rumored 27-inch mini LED display probably isn't happening

AppleInsider

A rumored Apple 27-inch display using mini LED backlighting may not arrive in early 2023 after all, with an analyst claiming Apple has shelved the project -- at least temporarily.

Apple Studio DIsplay

Rumors circulated about a pro-level 27-inch display since the introduction of the Studio Display. As a screen that lacks HDR, ProMotion, and the improved mini LED backlighting as found in other Apple products, an upgrade was thought to be on the way.

However, in a Monday tweet by Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young shared with paying super followers, Apple has "killed off the 27" display completely."

According to Young, Apple did make some progress with the panel, with some shipping to the supply chain in 2022, but they did not make it into a consumer-facing product at all. The display may still be used in a future product though, as Young offers that the pause is "at least for now."

Young previously advised of a 27-inch mini LED display launch for early 2023 back in October 2022. Again, that tweet was shared to super followers on Twitter, making it visible only to paying members.

Apple already employs mini LED in the displays of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. A replacement for traditional LED backlighting, mini LED enables for higher contrast levels close to those of OLED, localized dimming, and a generally more vibrant display.

An updated display would give consumers an effectively smaller and probably cheaper alternative to the Pro Display XDR, a 6K 32-inch screen that has localized dimming for high contrast ratios. While the Studio Display offers Apple's aesthetics and a generally well-designed screen, the lack of display features makes it less of a small Pro Display XDR than it could've been.

If it ever ships, the 27-inch mini LED display stands to become the mini Pro Display XDR that rumor followers wanted.

Read on AppleInsider

DAalseth

Wth the article out today that Mac sales dropped 40% YoY, and the one about Samsung cutting back because of low sales, all blamed on the slow economy, it might just not be a good time to release a premium display. Not when you can get “good enough” for would likely be half the price.

danox

If you don’t build it, you can’t sell it, a new 27 inch or a 32 inch iMac will sell even in these so-called perilous times, the same goes for a new Mac pro using Apple Silicon chips. Sitting on a 27” 2011 iMac….. with a hole in the pocket, waiting for Apple to produce.

dutchlord

No problem, then release the 27 inch iMac. Still waiting to replace my current 27 inch iMac….

melgross

I’ll wait until Apple has its quarterly report later this month before I start thinking about sales. As for this monitor, if true, it’s a big disappointment. I have the current 27” model and it’s really very good. I would buy this one if it came out. My wife wants the one I have, if I did, and a new M2 Mini to replace her 2017 27” iMac. Now, I’m not sure how this will work out. But, as it said here, this could just be a delay. I hope so.

hmurchison

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

chasm

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

You are making a bad assumption, which is that everything Ross Young says is true. He’s good at spotting specific items, but his track record is nowhere near 100 percent on guessing what product a given display will end up in.

“Apple cancelled this FOR SURE product just before they would have launched it” is the new “Apple ran into last-minute production problems” CYA excuse. As the report says, Apple’s probably not done with standalone displays — but this specific report from last year just doesn’t seem like it will turn out to be accurate.

lkrupp

1. Concoct a rumor about a mythical monitor that checks all the boxes for the nerd herd, except price of course.
2. Hype the rumor with estimated release times to spice things up.
3. Pull the rug out from under the rumor, sit back, and watch the shitstorm unfold.

Clever guys, these analysts are.

hexclock

lkrupp said:

1. Concoct a rumor about a mythical monitor that checks all the boxes for the nerd herd, except price of course.
2. Hype the rumor with estimated release times to spice things up.
3. Pull the rug out from under the rumor, sit back, and watch the shitstorm unfold.

Clever guys, these analysts are.

Stock manipulators, of a sort. 

bloggerblog

It could be a rumor to undervalue Apple stock and cash out after beating expectations.
I dunno about y’all but I’m still waiting for the G5 MBP with liquid nitrogen cooling. 

9secondkox2

dutchlord said:

No problem, then release the 27 inch iMac. Still waiting to replace my current 27 inch iMac….

Same. Nobody wants a studio Mac. Just release the hot rod big screen iMac already. Sales will pick up even in the midst of the Bidencession. 

I was hoping for a 32” iMac to come out, but sounds like these mini LED panels will be going into the big iMac and mini LED will set it apart further from the Mac Studio/Studio Display combo. 

9secondkox2

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

Apple isn’t talking about this. THE RUMOR MILL is. Big difference. Apple will be tight lipped until it shows up in an announced product. 

9secondkox2

danox said:

If you don’t build it, you can’t sell it, a new 27 inch or a 32 inch iMac will sell even in these so-called perilous times, the same goes for a new Mac pro using Apple Silicon chips. Sitting on a 27” 2011 iMac….. with a hole in the pocket, waiting for Apple to produce.

Exactly. Been waiting for an iMac replacement for my 5k a while now. Held off on the 2020 because apple silicon was coming. Mac mini won’t cut it. Saw the Mac Studio and immediately knew it wasn’t it. Not downgrading to fisher price iMac. All Apple has to do is finally go back to common sense and release the big iMac (with black bezels) and boom, sold. I know way too many people in the exact same situation to know that this is an across the board sales hit waiting to happen. Pent. Up. Demand. 

elijahg

9secondkox2 said:

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

Apple isn’t talking about this. THE RUMOR MILL is. Big difference. Apple will be tight lipped until it shows up in an announced product. 

To be fair, we have been stuck with the M1 iMac for 2 years and the 2 year transition to Apple Silicon is into its third year and still no Apple Silicon Mac Pro. The Macbook Pros were only just updated to the M2 Pro, a year after the M2 was released. Maybe this is some kind of marketing strategy but doesn't make much sense to introduce/upgrade the cheaper products first then add the high-end. That's not usually how Apple does it.

There is a confusing array of Macbooks and iPads and more iPhones than you can shake a stick at.

Displays are either non-HDR 5k for £1500 or 6k XDR for £4600 (plus £500 stand of course). The MBP display is XDR, has 10,000 local dimming zones vs 576 in the 6k Studio display, comes with an entire computer and is £2000 less. Yeah ok it's 3k vs 6k, but really what justification is there for it to be £4.6k? And what about Airpower?

Chock_Mossley

elijahg said:

9secondkox2 said:

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

Apple isn’t talking about this. THE RUMOR MILL is. Big difference. Apple will be tight lipped until it shows up in an announced product. 

To be fair, we have been stuck with the M1 iMac for 2 years and the 2 year transition to Apple Silicon is into its third year and still no Apple Silicon Mac Pro. The Macbook Pros were only just updated to the M2 Pro, a year after the M2 was released. Maybe this is some kind of marketing strategy but doesn't make much sense to introduce/upgrade the cheaper products first then add the high-end. That's not usually how Apple does it. 

It makes perfect sense to release the cheaper products first. The MacBook Air and 13in Pro are by far the biggest selling Macs, the higher end you go, the more niche you go and they’re not going to have nearly as high of sales.

As for being stuck with the Silicon transition, I’m sure when Apple announced the 2 year transition, they didn’t foresee the supply shortages catching up to them and the constant draconian lockdowns in China that slowed the transition down

fastasleep

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

What a bizarre conclusion to reach. Apple is confused because of observations by a supply chain analyst? They work on stuff all the time that gets shelved. They may have not concluded this was a product they could bring to market at their price target right now, changed their plans entirely, or any number of other things. That doesn't mean they're "confused", that's how this industry works. 

"Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?" Huh? Why would a company that makes things with screens be focused on screen technology? 

"Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED." — you must've forgotten the delays to the 2021 MacBook Pros due to mini-LED panel supply chain issues. 

fastasleep

Hmm. Hopefully we'll see the Mac Pro come to fruition alongside some update to the Pro Display XDR that includes a price reduction closer to reality. Otherwise looks like it's the Studio Display for me. 

anantksundaram

People really care about this purported ‘news’?! This is irrelevance writ large for Apple. 

Wow. AI (as well as some of its readers) have sunk to a sad, new low.  

(Yes, I cared enough to comment). 

fastasleep

anantksundaram said:

People really care about this purported ‘news’?! This is irrelevance writ large for Apple. 

Wow. AI (as well as some of its readers) have sunk to a sad, new low.  

(Yes, I cared enough to comment). 

Uh, why would you think nobody cares about Apple display news? I for one was waiting to see what this next iteration was shaping up to be before buying a new display. And how on Earth is this a "sad new low"? This is like the bread and butter for rumor sites.

hledgard

I have an old 30" Apple Cinema Display.  Matte finish.  Love it.

So many of the new displays are hard on one's eyes.  Bright, colorful -- Yes.  Good for one's eyes -- NO.

9secondkox2

elijahg said:

9secondkox2 said:

hmurchison said:

I haven't seen Apple this "confused" as a company since just prior to the return of Jobs.   As Jobs said "eventually the Designers are replaced by sales and marketing" 

When you see a company struggling to make decisions on products they need an infusion of some mojo. 

Why is Apple so focused on OLED or Mini-LED?   Jobs never spent much time talking about specific tech "ingredients" until he was doing a demo on a product about ready to go on sale.  Everyone has access to OLED or Mini-LED. 

This next 18 months is going to be pivotal for a lot of tech companies. 

Apple isn’t talking about this. THE RUMOR MILL is. Big difference. Apple will be tight lipped until it shows up in an announced product. 

To be fair, we have been stuck with the M1 iMac for 2 years and the 2 year transition to Apple Silicon is into its third year and still no Apple Silicon Mac Pro. The Macbook Pros were only just updated to the M2 Pro, a year after the M2 was released. Maybe this is some kind of marketing strategy but doesn't make much sense to introduce/upgrade the cheaper products first then add the high-end. That's not usually how Apple does it.

There is a confusing array of Macbooks and iPads and more iPhones than you can shake a stick at.

Displays are either non-HDR 5k for £1500 or 6k XDR for £4600 (plus £500 stand of course). The MBP display is XDR, has 10,000 local dimming zones vs 576 in the 6k Studio display, comes with an entire computer and is £2000 less. Yeah ok it's 3k vs 6k, but really what justification is there for it to be £4.6k? And what about Airpower?

Sure, we are in the third year of a two year transition, but it makes sense. 

Apple did the single biggest thing it’s ever done by developing its own processors across the board. This type of thing, especially since Apple is brand new at it, is not perfect. Intel had notorious parts of its history where it plain stagnated for long stretches. AMD was the hot new chip on the block, then became Intel’s breakfast for a long time, before getting competitive again in recent times. 

Apple was on track for a two year transition, but the M2 features didn’t pan out - starting with the iPhone GPU that got held back. So M2 became mostly an overclocked M1 with a couple more cores. That’s just not suitable for the Godzilla of computing Mac Pro. So we wait for extreme performance derivatives of M3, which I’m sure Apple has sped up the timetable on. 

The confusing array of products is related to Apple figuring it out as they go along. The game is different in many ways:

the whole COVID lockdown situation hurt them in terms of getting things done. And the resulting economic shift changed things as well. 

The advent of Apple Silicon meant Apple had to start getting creative in how to differentiate its lineup. With no Intel to serve up i5, i7, i9, etc to go with, apple had to figure out how to have lower tier processors and higher performing variations while all using basically the same architecture. 

Apple is great at forecasting the market economy and that no doubt played a role in the ridiculous pricing they have going on these days (except for base models, which are priced fairly - even though they are handicapped a bit with ssd speeds, nudging customers toward the upsell). Apple increased their margins to combat an eventual pc market decline, which we are seeing now. This way they are still in the money during the famine season. 

So the nice and neat product lineup Apple had in 2020 could not move forward, if it did, the customer base would be comparing a beautifully priced powerhouse iMac 5k to something that cost 1-2 thousand more shortly after a move to apple silicon in the midst of a horrible economy from 2022 to current. Customers would be crying foul. So Apple had a think and voila. Enter Mac Studio + Studio Display. Stretch out the Mac mini and use the same basic screen tech from the iMac 5k and you have a somewhat easy product for apple to produce, while avoiding a direct comparison with a better dicing structure from the product it basically replaced. Apple was hoping the m1 ultra would make such a performance statement, that it would justify getting rid of a beloved computer that was a much better deal in the hopes that customers would focus on that instead. Unfortunately, as part of the apple silicon learning curve, apple made a mistake and designed the ultra with a memory bottleneck that hinders it from ever reaching its potential. 

Then you have the absolute mess of an iPad product line. Then you have the weird Touch Bar laptop chassis with new internal s hanging around. 

So yes. It is confusing and messy and ugly. More reminiscent of a pc manufacturer than the apple we know. But I’m sure it’s temporary. Apple got creative to weather a combination economic and technical storm. The product line will be pruned and refined soon enough, likely shortly after the Mac Pro scares the poop out of Intel and AMD.