Rumors that Apple will switch its iPad lineup to mini-LED panels have been circulating for some time now – the (rumored) launch was originally slated for late 2020, but that has been pushed back to this year. And it can finally happen.
DigiTimes reports that Ennostar will begin mass-producing mini-LED panels at the end of this quarter (i.e. March). This matches unofficial reports that the new iPad Pro (11 and 12.9 inch) will be unveiled in March.
Pro tablets would be the first to adopt the mini-LED, followed by MacBooks (the next 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, perhaps, but that’s not certain). The company has also reportedly long been interested in another technology, the micro-LED, for its portable devices (and maybe one day for iPhones too).
What is the difference between mini and micro? A little, in fact. Mini-LED panels are like LCD screens with more local dimming areas than current panels – instead of a few dozen, they have a few hundred (if not thousands). However, they will still require a layer of liquid crystal. The micro-LED drops all that and has emissive pixels instead, just like the OLED. The main difference is that micro LEDs do not use organic materials, which makes them brighter and more energy efficient.
Source (paywall) | Via
