In the run-up to its new MacBooks and iPads, Apple has invested 200 million dollars in the mini-LED screen technology of the future devices. MacRumors reports this based on a paywall article at DigiTimes Asia.
According to the tech site, the investment is intended for four additional assembly lines for the mini-LED screens that Apple has recently integrated into its products. The iPad Pro 2021 introduced in April was Apple’s first gadget with such a display, but the upcoming 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are also expected to get such a screen. According to DigiTimes, those two laptops would be announced in September.
Apple is reportedly struggling to keep up with the production of mini LED screens for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The additional assembly lines should guarantee a monthly capacity of 700,000 to 800,000 MacBook Pros with mini-LED technology. It is not clear whether those lines can also be used to produce the mini-LED modules for the iPad.
Apple itself does not speak about mini-LED screens but about Liquid Retina XDR displays. The technology is similar to that of newer LED televisions with local dimming: parts of the display can be switched off, improving contrast. A mini LED display also provides local dimming but on a much more accurate scale.
