Apple will debut a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Mini-LED display sometime during the first quarter of 2021, says a new report from DigiTimes.
The paywalled report (via MacRumors), claims that the Cupertino firm has diversified its supply chain for displays and touch panels and that BOE has gained approval to supply OLED panels for the iPhone and GIS is moving to provide touch panels for the iPhone and the new iPad Pro.
GIS approved investments of NT$2.198 billion (US$76.3 million) and NT$1.421 billion proposed by its subsidiary in Chengdu, China in August and November 2020 respectively, with the funds to focus on expanding production capacity for integrated touch modules used in tablets, the sources said. The subsidiary will invest another NT$753 million to improve production line automation. The subsidiary currently produces integrated touch modules for iPads and MacBooks, the sources said.
Besides iPhones, GIS will produce integrated touch modules for miniLED-backlit panels of 12.9-inch iPad Pro to be launched in first-quarter 2021, the sources noted.
A new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display, which will offer richer colors, darker blacks, brighter brights, and better contrast. The display uses thousands of individual LEDs to illuminate the display, offering many of the benefits of OLED displays but without the drawbacks of OLED.
We’ve seen previous rumors during 2020 that a new iPad Pro with Mini-LED display is on the way, some from fairly reliable sources, such as well-connected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.