Apple may have new Cinema Displays ready for Macworld

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
It's been over four years since Apple made a material announcement surrounding its line of standalone Cinema Displays, but that could finally change come early next year, says a new report.



According to MacRumors, the wheels are in motion for the Mac maker to introduce the first updates to its professional display line as early as the January Macworld conference that runs the 5th through the 9th.



While details are limited, it's suggested the new models will see a transition away from cold cathode fluorescent backlights (CCFLs) and towards LED backlights as part of a promise by Apple chief executive Steve Jobs last year to rid the company's displays of mercury "when technically and economically feasible."



At the time, Jobs noted that Apple's ability to completely eliminate fluorescent lamps in all of its displays "depends on how fast the LCD industry can transition to LED backlighting for larger displays."



While there are some LED-lit displays arriving on the market at sizes comparable to Apple's existing display line, pricing remains a limiting factor. Apple currently offers a trio of Cinema Displays for use alongside its Mac mini and Mac Pro desktop offerings, including a standard 20-inch, and 23- and 30-inch HD models.



However, Wednesday's report points out that commercially available 30-inch LED displays, like the Samsung XL30, cost upwards of $4300 dollars. Combined with an entry-level Mac Pro at $2,799.00, that would be draw a bill of over $7000.







By comparison, Apple's existing 30-inch HD Cinema Display fetches just $1799, or around half the cost of comparable LED models. Therefore, it's unclear how Apple would attempt to market a new line of LED Cinema Displays with such a large price discrepancy to its existing offerings.



One possibility could have Apple include proprietary technology alongside LED Cinema Displays that would make them more cost effective through guarantees of prolonged lifespans.



For instance, a recent patent filing covered by AppleInsider revealed the company to be working removable LED light strips that easily slide in and out of the base of a flat-panel display in very much the same way a memory card slides in and out of a digital camera.







Those "side firing LEDs" would be mounted on -- and electrically connected to one another via -- a flexible strip with a power feed contact that adheres to the display housing once inserted. This concept, Apple explained, would prevent users from having to replace an entire display should an LED eventually fail or burn out.



The last changes to Apple's Cinema Display line came on June 28th, 2004 when the company introduced the 30-inch HD model alongside Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. The display was then priced at $3299.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 94
    deepdeep Posts: 13member
    What about built-in iSight? Better yet, how about that pixel camera patent filing back in 2006? I wish my iPhone had that.
  • Reply 2 of 94
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Yeah cause Apple waiting so they can make the displays "so cheap"
  • Reply 3 of 94
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member
    All Cinema Displays will go glossy!
  • Reply 4 of 94
    Traditionally, Apple's displays have matched their desktop systems, and tend to lag behind a bit. I remember when the G5 came out in 2003, and the demo systems were hooked up to candy style "G4 era" displays.



    So if the past is anything to go by:
    1. New Mac Pro (and possibly Mac mini) case designs debut with next round of processors

    2. New Cinema Displays unveiled, matching said designs

    That still is a big if though.



    Come on: make autumn 2008 be the big season for new industrial designs across the board. Mr. Ive surely can't stand how long his last round of creations have been out now. Same age as TIGER!? We get it already, Intel Macs are still Macs. etc. End rant.
  • Reply 5 of 94
    virgil-tb2virgil-tb2 Posts: 1,416member
    Personally, if they are going to update at all I hope they do something interesting and make a more "next-gen" product. A built in iSight and/or backlight changes are all no brainers. Even the glossy/matte argument is not really anything worth getting excited about.



    What would be truly exciting is if they did something with the inputs, like HDMI ports or component or composite, or all three. A monitor is not just a monitor anymore. There should be no reason why I can't easily hook up my iPod to my ACD, or my video camera, or my Apple TV (if I had one of those). In short there is no reason why a "monitor" is really so different from the TV in the living room. Heck why not include a tuner or even an optical drive. All of these options would add only pennies to the price relative to the huge cost of the screen itself.



    I am happy with the ACD I have now, but the reason people buy them is that they last for years and years and years. It would be nice, and it would make a lot of sense to try to "future-proof" them to some extent given that they will be around ten years from now.
  • Reply 6 of 94
    If I remember correctly, the original 30" display was closer to 4000, then 3299.
  • Reply 7 of 94
    shanmugamshanmugam Posts: 1,200member
    i wonder, iPhone is the reason apple is delaying lots of other products ...



    i wish the next Apple event and apple product well planned and well delivered ...



    iPhone is still shortage and working on their 2.1 release!!!
  • Reply 8 of 94
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Could be that all monitors will double as HDTVs with a built in digital tuners... leading to the inevitable re-branding of AppleTV. That would certainly make a whole new display line more compelling.
  • Reply 9 of 94
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by deep View Post


    What about built-in iSight? Better yet, how about that pixel camera patent filing back in 2006? I wish my iPhone had that.



    I'm not quite sure what that is, but if they could mount TWO isights, one each on the top and bottom of the display, and triangulate/average/reconcile the images so that the user's eyes look like they're looking into "the camera" instead of off-camera, that would make a major difference in the emotional impact of video conferencing and would be a very apple thing to do.



    I think this is feasible.
  • Reply 10 of 94
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alolkoy View Post


    If I remember correctly, the original 30" display was closer to 4000, then 3299.



    I don't remember anything higher than $3299. This seems to confirm that, though they say the price was $3200, I'm not sure about whether it was $3299 or $3199.



    http://www.macnn.com/articles/04/06/...pple.displays/
  • Reply 11 of 94
    dimmokdimmok Posts: 359member
    Lets see something with touchscreen built in. I caught my 5 year old daughter "trying to open up applications on my mac desktop screen" since she has gotten used to opening and moving stuff around on my iPhone using her fingers.



    According to SJ.....god has given us 10 great input devices...lets use them.
  • Reply 12 of 94
    gugygugy Posts: 794member
    boy, it's about time.



    I do hope they redesign it alongside MacPro's.

    Also, it would be nice a larger than 30" display.
  • Reply 13 of 94
    Maybe it'll be a widescreen iSight camera so you can talk with other people who have this new ACD w/ iSight, like those Cisco commercials. Tie it in with AppleTV and give it a wireless keyboard so I can play my Ticket To Ride game on a big screen! Or better yet, just put an HDMI output on the Mac Mini.
  • Reply 14 of 94
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2 View Post


    A monitor is not just a monitor anymore.



    Most computer monitors that I look at really are just computer monitors, i.e., nothing other than VGA and DVI inputs. There are plenty that do offer various TV inputs, but those seem to be less common than standard monitors. I would like it if they support HDCP. I've read somewhere that Apple quietly put that feature into newer ACDs, but I have not found any confirmation of that.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gugy View Post


    boy, it's about time.



    I do hope they redesign it alongside MacPro's.

    Also, it would be nice a larger than 30" display.



    Something would need to change if it keeps the same pixel density (100ppi) and still be bigger. If it's Display Port, then you'll need to either replace your video card (Mac Pro) or replace your notebook computer in order to use it to it's fullest.
  • Reply 15 of 94
    These displays had better be spectacular. Anything less will be too little, too late.
  • Reply 16 of 94
    mchumanmchuman Posts: 154member
    I have a 42" samsung LED LCD tv. it's phenomenal and only cost about $3000. Why is their little 30" monitor over $4k? Something doesn't add up here..
  • Reply 17 of 94
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McHuman View Post


    I have a 42" samsung LED LCD tv. it's phenomenal and only cost about $3000. Why is their little 30" monitor over $4k? Something doesn't add up here..



    Production volume?
  • Reply 18 of 94
    bobertoqbobertoq Posts: 172member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post


    All Cinema Displays will go glossy!



    Yeah that would be awesome! (seriously)
  • Reply 19 of 94
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McHuman View Post


    I have a 42" samsung LED LCD tv. it's phenomenal and only cost about $3000. Why is their little 30" monitor over $4k? Something doesn't add up here..



    TVs and monitors aren't very comparable. For one, TVs have a lot lower dot pitch.
  • Reply 20 of 94
    bobertoqbobertoq Posts: 172member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McHuman View Post


    I have a 42" samsung LED LCD tv. it's phenomenal and only cost about $3000. Why is their little 30" monitor over $4k? Something doesn't add up here..



    well is it LED or LCD? anyways, the TV has a lower resolution.
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