Apple Seeking Additional Suppliers to Meet Mini-LED Display Demand for iPad Pro and Upcoming MacBook Pro
Apple is continuing to struggle to meet demand for mini-LED displays in its recently launched 12.9-inch iPad Pro and displays in upcoming MacBook Pros, prompting the company to begin looking for extra suppliers in an attempt to ease the load.
According to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report slated to be published tomorrow, Apple is looking for suppliers beyond Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology, or TSMT, to assist in mounting electrical components onto circuit boards for the mini-LED display in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and upcoming MacBook Pros.
DigiTimes had previously reported that TSMT would remain the sole supplier of SMT (surface mounting technology) for the iPad Pro and the upcoming MacBook Pro. Since that report, however, Apple has seemed to change its outlook on the situation, potentially realizing that demand for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and expected demand for the upcoming MacBook Pro may exceed the capabilities of a single supplier.
Following its launch, Apple's M1-powered 12.9-inch iPad Pro was rather limited in stock, with shipping times at the time of launch in April reaching mid and late July. Due to continued disruptions thanks to the global health crisis and global chip shortage, a similar scenario may be in practice with upcoming MacBook Pros.
Apple's M1-powered 12.9-inch iPad Pro was the first Apple product to feature the company's Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED, rather than traditional LCD or OLED. Apple is expected to bring this same technology to redesigned MacBook Pros expected to launch later this year.
Popular Stories
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay.
Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a...
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for.
Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
Apple today launched a new app called Surveyor, which is designed to allow users to collect data like images of street signs and roadside details to improve Apple Maps.
The app is not public facing and appears to be for use with companies that Apple partners with to assign mapping tasks. Downloading the app and opening it up directs users to "Open Partner App" to choose a task. Tapping on...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Apple is reassuring employees on the Siri team who may be feeling demotivated by the recent Siri delays and the bad press surrounding the company's decisions, reports Bloomberg.
In a Siri team meeting, Apple senior director Robby Walker acknowledged that employees might be feeling "angry, disappointed, burned out and embarrassed" following the Siri delay, but he praised the hard work of...
Apple made a major misstep with the way that it handled the delay of Apple Intelligence features for Siri, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Announcing the delay through a press statement was a bad decision, and Apple should instead have gone through official channels.
Kuo referenced the well-known "Antennagate" PR crisis when the iPhone 4 launched in 2010, and the way that then Apple...
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
Apple is set to release iOS 18.4 in early April, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more.
While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new...
