Apple Thunderbolt Display inventory dwindles, may hint at upcoming redesign
A number of resellers have run dry of Apple Thunderbolt Display inventory, suggesting the 27-inch monitor may be due for an upgrade, perhaps with a thinner design that takes cues from the latest iMacs.
As of Monday, major resellers Amazon, MacMall, and J&R are all out of stock of the Thunderbolt Display. Stock-outs are often one of the first signs of a forthcoming upgrade to Apple hardware.
At the very least, the Thunderbolt Display is in need of an upgrade to its MagSafe cable. Apple currently ships a MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter with every Thunderbolt Display to allow compatibility with the latest MacBooks.
But the Thunderbolt Display and its predecessor, the Cinema Display, have historically borrowed LCD technology from Apple's all-in-one iMac lineup. And the iMac was recently redesigned with a reengineered display panel that is thinner and reduces glare by 75 percent.
Miroslav Djuric, chief information architect with the repair wizards at iFixit, noted to AppleInsider that the current-generation Thunderbolt display employs the same screen as the previous generation of 27-inch iMacs: an LG-built TFT active-matrix LCD panel.
"Think of the Thunderbolt display as an iMac minus the computing hardware," Djuric explained.
If that trend were to continue, an updated Thunderbolt Display would include a thinner LCD panel, and likely an overall thinner design. Apple's new 21.5-inch iMac actually has the same LCD as its predecessor, but the panel is 5 millimeters thinner, suggesting the same components have been squeezed into a smaller space.
Apple also made its new iMacs thinner by fusing the LCD to the front glass. Djuric said he expects that design decision to also be utilized in a next-generation Apple Thunderbolt Display.
However, if Apple is planning to bring the new iMac panel design to a refreshed Thunderbolt Display accessory, the new big-screen monitor's arrival may not be imminent because of potential production issues.
Apple's new 27-inch iMac remains in short supply because of apparent production issues associated with the display. Until those issues are worked out, Apple may not have enough panels to also provide for a new 27-inch Thunderbolt Display.
One report last week claimed that Apple and LG have only been able to produce about 100,000 27-inch iMacs per month. Apple's online store continues to advertise that new orders of the 27-inch iMac ship in three to four weeks.
Analyst Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities was first to reveal in August that Apple was planning to use a new screen lamination process in its redesigned iMacs. Kuo also noted that manufacturing of the panels would be difficult.
Another possible upgrade for the Thunderbolt Display could be its ports: The current model features three USB 2.0 ports, but Apple began offering faster USB 3.0 connectivity on its 2012 Macs, including the redesigned iMac. USB 3 offers transfer rates up to 5 Gbps, compared to just 480 Mbps for USB 2.
The Apple Thunderbolt Display was released in July of 2011, making it the world's first display compatible with Apple's high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology. In addition to the aforementioned MagSafe charging cable and three USB 2.0 ports, the 27-inch screen includes a FaceTime HD video camera, 2.1 speaker system, one FireWire 800 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
Apple also still continues to sell the previous-generation 27-inch LED Cinema Display for older Macs that have a Mini DisplayPort instead of the newer Thunderbolt port. Both the LED Cinema Display and the Thunderbolt Display are sold for $999.
As of Monday, major resellers Amazon, MacMall, and J&R are all out of stock of the Thunderbolt Display. Stock-outs are often one of the first signs of a forthcoming upgrade to Apple hardware.
At the very least, the Thunderbolt Display is in need of an upgrade to its MagSafe cable. Apple currently ships a MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter with every Thunderbolt Display to allow compatibility with the latest MacBooks.
But the Thunderbolt Display and its predecessor, the Cinema Display, have historically borrowed LCD technology from Apple's all-in-one iMac lineup. And the iMac was recently redesigned with a reengineered display panel that is thinner and reduces glare by 75 percent.
Miroslav Djuric, chief information architect with the repair wizards at iFixit, noted to AppleInsider that the current-generation Thunderbolt display employs the same screen as the previous generation of 27-inch iMacs: an LG-built TFT active-matrix LCD panel.
"Think of the Thunderbolt display as an iMac minus the computing hardware," Djuric explained.
If that trend were to continue, an updated Thunderbolt Display would include a thinner LCD panel, and likely an overall thinner design. Apple's new 21.5-inch iMac actually has the same LCD as its predecessor, but the panel is 5 millimeters thinner, suggesting the same components have been squeezed into a smaller space.
Apple also made its new iMacs thinner by fusing the LCD to the front glass. Djuric said he expects that design decision to also be utilized in a next-generation Apple Thunderbolt Display.
However, if Apple is planning to bring the new iMac panel design to a refreshed Thunderbolt Display accessory, the new big-screen monitor's arrival may not be imminent because of potential production issues.
Apple's new 27-inch iMac remains in short supply because of apparent production issues associated with the display. Until those issues are worked out, Apple may not have enough panels to also provide for a new 27-inch Thunderbolt Display.
One report last week claimed that Apple and LG have only been able to produce about 100,000 27-inch iMacs per month. Apple's online store continues to advertise that new orders of the 27-inch iMac ship in three to four weeks.
Analyst Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities was first to reveal in August that Apple was planning to use a new screen lamination process in its redesigned iMacs. Kuo also noted that manufacturing of the panels would be difficult.
Another possible upgrade for the Thunderbolt Display could be its ports: The current model features three USB 2.0 ports, but Apple began offering faster USB 3.0 connectivity on its 2012 Macs, including the redesigned iMac. USB 3 offers transfer rates up to 5 Gbps, compared to just 480 Mbps for USB 2.
The Apple Thunderbolt Display was released in July of 2011, making it the world's first display compatible with Apple's high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology. In addition to the aforementioned MagSafe charging cable and three USB 2.0 ports, the 27-inch screen includes a FaceTime HD video camera, 2.1 speaker system, one FireWire 800 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
Apple also still continues to sell the previous-generation 27-inch LED Cinema Display for older Macs that have a Mini DisplayPort instead of the newer Thunderbolt port. Both the LED Cinema Display and the Thunderbolt Display are sold for $999.
Comments
Less reflections (as on the iMacs), USB 3 and a MagSafe 2 cable (the MagSafe 1:2 adapter is the worst one Apple has ever made) and it's a buy... thinner or not. Would appreciate if they would keep FW though... still have 8 FW HDDs and a FW audio interface sitting around.
Once they are at it, still waiting for that backlit wireless keyboard (has never been rumored, but one can try)...
NO NO! same design as an iMac p+but but a 680m inside that thing along with fiber TB cables!!
Would be quite soon for the new Mac Pro, as Tim said 'sometime next year'. But sure, could happen. FireWire out is indeed likely, but tell me, what was the reason again for not to include USB3? I think it is CPU related, but can't remember the reason for it.
Overpriced? The 27" is $999. The 30" was $ 1799..."In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary... come again?" (BrickTop in Snatch)
Cook said sometime later next year. EP v2 Xeons aren't due until the third quarter, so most likely that's when the new Mac Pros will roll out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilBoogie
Overpriced? The 27" is $999. The 30" was $ 1799..."In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary... come again?" (BrickTop in Snatch)
Believe it or not, the price of tech outside the Apple world does fall over time.
I'm not aware of any such limitation. I fully expect USB 3.0.
However, now that you mention it Thunderbolt as a maximum throughput of 10Gbps in each direction. Can you have USB 3.0 on that plus the other data?
There's not a lot like it that's so much cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007617+600012694+600060968&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&IsNodeId=1&Subcategory=20&description=&hisInDesc=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&AdvancedSearch=1&srchInDesc=
All spec'd with LED backlight.
None of these have built-in camera/mic, not a big deal to me, but it is an extra feature. Not all of these have a speaker built-in either. I doubt the competitors have metal shells.
All in all, the Apple monitor seems reasonably competitive for what it has.
FW800 + gigabitE + audio + webcam + 5Gbps USB should fit pretty well in the 10Gbps channel at max without crowding each other out. The display would get the other 10Gbps TB channel.
I wouldn't expect each USB port to have its own dedicated 5GB channel.
I'm in need of an external monitor refresh (currently have a Dell 20" FP2007 that has a bad power supply). I've been considering the Dell U2713H (the equivalent to the current Apple TB Display). However, there are limitations in max resolutions that I think I've sorted through with a little research. It currently sells for $799 on sale with a 3 year warranty. It's regular price is $999...but I think that's just because it's predecessor (the U2711) was CNet's top pick for best monitor. The U2713H is every bit as good as the current TB display (if not better) save for one advantage...it has I/O ports to boot and has Manual switching between I/Os. A huge advantage.
I am strongly considering the current TB display also to match all my other Apple HW. However, I need a display that can handle a Mac and a PC (at the same time) and the current TB display is incompatible with PCs. A huge oversight on Apple's part if you ask me. Not to mention there is no way to switch between computers even if they are both Macs. A friend of mine just got the U2713H and loves it...mainly for the reason that he needs to plug-in a Mac Mini and his MBP both at the same time.
I really hope Apple addresses these major oversights in the next re-design of the TB display. If they do...I'll be first in line.
Which I think might not be totally false. It is possible they could add additional sizes with the HDMI, refresh rates etc to use the Cinema Display as a TV monitor with a blu-ray, Xbox, Apple TV etc.
I just have a few 1920x1080 displays that I use. I'm considering getting a 2560x1440 display, so that I could view Apple's stock falling in extra high def and from nearly all viewing angles.
Give me 175 to 200 PPI and I will upgrade. After seeing the 4K 30" and 32" monitors at CES...
I WANT ONE!!!! Need? No. Want? Yes. The text and images at my normal working distance were like fine quality print. And the Sharp IGZO displays... Ahhhhhhhwhhhhh. Yummy. Rich natural colors (not the gooney colors of OLED). Crisp beyond anything I have seen. A bit low on the brightness but stunning.
At $250, I would guess you have a TN display instead of IPS. It's also 1080p rather than 1440p. In a plastic shell. I don't think you're the target market here.
This looks like a great deal for $180 (in stock) if you want a 23" IPS display. 2mm border, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
This looks like a great deal for $180 (in stock) if you want a 23" IPS display. 2mm border, too.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6468/aocs-i2367fh-thin-virtually-borderless-and-ips
The border thing is a bit deceptive.
When looking at the outside box, it seems as if there's virtually no border at all.
But when firing up the display, you see that there is a border there. Granted, it's not very large, but it's not the same impression that somebody gets just from seeing the outside box, and it certainly looks like that it's more than 2 mm.
I was one of the people that scoffed at the release of the Thunderbolt display. I can't stand glossy, and felt it was overpriced as well. After factoring in the TB hub and the nice panel, I felt it wasn't as bad after all. After spending about five months on one, I can say I actually do enjoy it and feel it was a good investment. The gloss really needs to be improved though. I used to run midnight in Xcode, and have since reverted back to default. White backgrounds don't glare as much as black / dark backgrounds. That helped with glare quite a bit. I also set up my desk facing the window so sun light won't directly hit the monitor. Again, if they can improve the glare like they did with the MBP Retina, I may buy another one and run dual Thunderbolt Displays.