Apple suggests that it has permanently exited the stand-alone monitor business

Posted:
in General Discussion edited October 2016
The now-discontinued Thunderbolt display appears to be Apple's last external monitor, as remarks made to the press suggest that the company is exiting that market segment.




The "hello again" release event on Thursday featured a new LG monitor, made in conjunction with Apple, using a single Thunderbolt 3 cable for video using multi-stream transport, and charging power for the connected MacBoook Pro. However, the monitor is not Apple branded in any way.

The LG UltraFine 5K Display measures 27 inches, and supports resolutions up to 5120 by 2880, in the P3 "wide color" gamut. Three USB 3.1 generation 2 type-C ports adorn the back, and the monitor includes stereo speakers, a microphone, and a camera -- so the new display replaces all the functionality of the discontinued Apple display.

Apple buys its 4K and 5K panels for the iMac from LG.

Apple's remarks were made to The Verge's Nilay Patel, during the demonstration period after the event.

Good notes by @jsnell. I can add that Apple told me it's out of standalone display biz. https://t.co/6t1KqQODwD

-- nilay patel (@reckless)
It is not known what exactly was said to Patel at the event to make him come to this conclusion.

Rumors of an Apple-branded monitor with integrated GPU started circulating in the summer, with two disparate sources discussing the potential product.

To grab the lowest prices on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, as well as popular monitors, see AppleInsider's Mac Price Guide.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 82
    And apparently the Mac Pro business.
    rossb2altivec88ewtheckmanblastdoorxixo1983jibberjsedicivalvoledysamoriatallest skil
  • Reply 2 of 82
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    I've suspected this for a long time now.    Frankly I really doubt that Apple made money selling grossly over priced video monitors that had little applicability outside of Apples eco-System.    Sadly I had at times wished that Apple would actually produce a video monitor that was well integrated with its laptops via TB but I just don't think they understand user needs anymore.    With TB3/USB-C charging the monitor could have become the ideal "dock" for ones laptop, instead we got half implemented and grossly over priced solutions from Apple.   Hopefully with market demand now from Apple and other USB-C based laptops we will see some competition to deliver reasonably priced an functionally complete docking monitors for these new laptop designs.

    In the long run this is a good thing for Apple users.
    bdkennedy1002netrox
  • Reply 3 of 82
    Hopefully, the next iMac with TB3 can allow Target Display Mode again.
    roundaboutnowblastdoorbaconstangsedicivalvoledysamoria
  • Reply 4 of 82
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    This is really unfortunate. That LG monitor has none of the design style that the current Apple displays have. I wouldn't want it sitting on my desk. Looks like iMacs for me.
    dreyfus2Bluntblastdoor1983jibberjsedicivalvolewozwoz
  • Reply 5 of 82
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Was it asking too much to integrate an ethernet port into this monitor like the prior Apple-branded TB monitor?  Seriously.  People that use these monitors obviously are going to be stationary.  It's already an integrated dock with all the ports in back. 

    Stupid.  The ethernet port was one thing I love with my current Apple TB display.  Dumb move LG.

    sedicivalvoledysamoriawatto_cobrawozwoz
  • Reply 6 of 82
    Apple needs to focus on matters that it understands, innovation in computers. There is nothing exciting about a TV screen. The numbers are confusing and nothing can be done with the design. Remember, the first part of Apple's strategy is to design progressive hardware and software. The second part is to design it in a seductive way so that form and function grab us. You may have noticed that they have slowed on both but especially the form. Like it or not, the pot needs stirring otherwise, the fickle consumer will run off towards the next shiny thing.
    sedicivalvole
  • Reply 7 of 82
    nhtnht Posts: 4,522member
    Meh, a dock will take care of docking needs and I can get whatever monitor I want.  Like the a pair of curved 27" monitors.
  • Reply 8 of 82
    Appears to be a matte og semi matte display. Finally we got rid of these stupid mirror screens  :p
    dysamoria
  • Reply 9 of 82
    Apple can't sell enough monitors to make a decent business with them. That's because Apple monitors are only designed to work with Apple products. Better they should work with several monitor manufactures to support the features of their new Macs such as USB-C/3.1/Thunderbolt. Focus, focus, focus!
    designr1983
  • Reply 10 of 82
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    mac_128 said:
    This is really unfortunate. That LG monitor has none of the design style that the current Apple displays have. I wouldn't want it sitting on my desk. Looks like iMacs for me.
    Which is key - most desktop Macs are iMacs. Why would you get anything else? The MacPro users out there wouldn't be buying an Apple monitor anyway and the MacMini users neither, unless it was super cheap. I have to admit that my ageing 24" Apple branded screen looks great and was, and still is, a good monitor that looks good plugged into an Apple laptop, but I paid way too much for it. My bet is that someone will bring out a monitor that to some degree takes on the Thunderbolt display looks and charge a little extra for it.
    maciekskontakt
  • Reply 11 of 82
    BluntBlunt Posts: 224member
    mac_128 said:
    This is really unfortunate. That LG monitor has none of the design style that the current Apple displays have. I wouldn't want it sitting on my desk. Looks like iMacs for me.
    I agree don't like the looks of this LG display. Anything beter then a Samsung display though.
    irelandbaconstangsedicivalvolewatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 82
    AdBrit said:
    Apple needs to focus on matters that it understands, innovation in computers. There is nothing exciting about a TV screen. The numbers are confusing and nothing can be done with the design. Remember, the first part of Apple's strategy is to design progressive hardware and software. The second part is to design it in a seductive way so that form and function grab us. You may have noticed that they have slowed on both but especially the form. Like it or not, the pot needs stirring otherwise, the fickle consumer will run off towards the next shiny thing.
    Nothing to be done with design? Well. They could have at least used aluminum so we would have something shiny to covet. That's the least they could have done. I hate the look of cheap plastic displays like this.

    tofinosedicivalvolewozwoz
  • Reply 13 of 82
    JeffreeJeffree Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    I've been an Apple guy since 1984 when i bought the original 128k mac. But I recently im beginning to feel the love wearing off as I see less exciting innovation at a snails pace. Not offering a standalone display and leaving a giant hole in the ecosystem that only a 3rd party can fill does not seem like Apple at all, even if its not a profitable venture. The aesthetic and visual quality is a critical part of the ecosystem and LG will not get it right. I hope this rumor is wrong.
    80s_Apple_Guyxixobdkennedy1002buckalecjibberjsedicivalvoledysamoriawozwoz
  • Reply 14 of 82
    appexappex Posts: 687member
    Apple should bring back a brand new Apple Tunderbolt display with hubs for Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps), USB 3.1 Type-C (reversible) Generation 2 (10 Gbps) and SDXC with extra pins supporting maximum read/write speed (300 MB/s).
    tofinosedicivalvoledysamoria
  • Reply 15 of 82
    son3son3 Posts: 7member
    bdkennedy said:
    And apparently the Mac Pro business.
    I anxiously await iMac upgrades and:
    Touchbar keyboards withcalculator 
  • Reply 16 of 82
    I think this makes a lot of sense. I did like the build quality of the Apple monitors. Are the LG versions made out of plastic or Aluminum? I would prefer having nice looking monitors on my desk. Any suggestions on this?
    coolfactor
  • Reply 17 of 82
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    rune66 said:
    Appears to be a matte og semi matte display. Finally we got rid of these stupid mirror screens  :p
    Wow, that takes me back!  It's been years since I've heard a matte vs glossy display argument ;)
    Solipscooter63sedicivalvole
  • Reply 18 of 82
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    loquitur said:
    Hopefully, the next iMac with TB3 can allow Target Display Mode again.
    I've never owned an iMac only MBPs, MBAs, Mac minis and Mac Pros, so I didn't know iMacs didn't have Target mode, when did this happen? 
  • Reply 19 of 82
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member

    I think this makes a lot of sense. I did like the build quality of the Apple monitors. Are the LG versions made out of plastic or Aluminum? I would prefer having nice looking monitors on my desk. Any suggestions on this?
    Spray paint and masking tape?  ;)
  • Reply 20 of 82
    sirdirsirdir Posts: 186member
    Well, I guess in the end we have to be glad that they keep making Macs…
    coolfactorbaconstangdesignremp745
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