Apple is expected to unveil 14- and 16-inch miniLED-backlit MacBook Pros this year with displays supplied by Radiant Opto-Electronics, according to a DigiTimes report.
Rebecca Kuo and Adam Hwang for DigiTimes:
Radiant Opto-Electronics aims to ship 2-3 million LED backlight units (BLU) for use in automotive dashboards of about 10 inches in 2021, with Europe-based automakers to be main clients, according to industry sources.
Apple is expected to unveil 14- and 16-inch miniLED-backlit MacBook Pro models in second-half 2021, with Radiant to be the exclusive supplier of BLUs and Quanta Computer to be an OEM, the sources noted.
Radiant expects shipments for BLUs used in tablets and notebooks in first-quarter 2021 to slip 10% and 15-20% respectively on quarter. Consequently, first-quarter 2021 consolidated revenues will decrease 15% sequentially but hike 60-70% on year. It has obtained orders with shipments scheduled until April 2021.
MacDailyNews Take: Costs for miniLED backlighting is at least 20-30% higher than that for regular LED backlighting, but, for Apple’s Macs, the company will be enjoying significant savings by upgrading to Apple Silicon, offsetting the higher miniLED costs.
Apple is also expected to launch miniLED iPad Pro models this year. We’ll be interested to see how Apple handles Mini LED iPad Pro pricing which have always run on ARM-based silicon.
In December 2019, Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that Apple was planning four to six products with mini-LED displays over the next two to three years.
These products are far more relevant to Apple now than some AppleCar. Apple has a huge advantage with their ARM-based M1-series laptops if they add the proper ports and price them sensibly. It could take another year for the X86 rivals to catch up to Apple’s laptops in performance and battery life. I’m praying Apple doesn’t mess this up by cutting corners to increase profits instead of earnestly trying to lure Windows hardware users to macOS hardware.
If Apple could only convince Microsoft to build a Windows OS version that runs fast on an M1-series laptop, Apple would probably make a killing in the laptop business. I think X86 laptop makers would have to rethink most of their mobile products as any chip from a Core i3 to a Core i7 would be rendered ineffective against an M1-series chip. Apple needs to put on the pressure and take as much laptop market share as possible. Low-wattage ARM chips are the BEST way to go with laptops. C’mon Apple, don’t screw this one up by cutting features.
+1000!!! No “proper ports and price” is why I haven’t bought a Mac for about 7 years. Their RAM and SSD prices are extortionate and can’t be avoided on most models by doing it yourself. And many of us need more ports, not fewer. Hubs and adaptors are inconvenient and messy. A Macbook may look sleek in the shop with 2 ports but – for many of us – in use they become a rat’s nest. So much for convenience and portability! There’s no “delight” in paying through the nose for a good amount of RAM and SSD then having to carry a bag of cables and adapters with a supposedly portable computer. The majority of my friends (mostly musicians) feel the same. On the rare occasions I have to use a Windows machine the one aspect that’s a pleasure is the number of available ports.
The demand for Intel macs must have really dropped by now. I wonder how long it will take for Apple to clear inventory. Is that why M1 imacs and pros aren’t out yet? Or is it actually that the chips need to be different?
Will macs just no longer have expandable ram? Or will they act like the first 16 GB are L3 cache?
Should be a new chip! The M1X, it’s tentatively called. Interesting point about clearing their inventory of Intel Macs. Even their M1 13″ Pro started price was discounted $70 on Amazon about a month ago. Hoping March brings in the new! A 14″ Pro would be a great music college companion.