Apple is planning to bring its custom silicon chips to the Pro Display XDR, a recent report has suggested.
The leaker known as "Dylandkt," who has a mostly accurate track record with Apple-related rumors, recently claimed that LG is developing a 32-inch display panel for a new Pro Display XDR featuring an unspecified Apple silicon chip.
Apple's custom silicon SoCs, such as the S7, A15 Bionic, or the M1 Max, are typically reserved for independent devices such as the Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, or Mac, so bringing a powerful processor to an external display, which inevitably needs to be hooked up to a device that already has a processor, would be fairly extraordinary.
Earlier this year, 9to5Mac reported that Apple was working on a new Pro Display XDR with an A13 chip, which lines up with the latest rumor. It is unclear what exact advantages an Apple silicon chip could offer an external display, but dedicated processing and additional IO seem like reasonable expectations.
In addition to the 32-inch display, LG is also believed to be working on 24-inch and 27-inch standalone displays for Apple, but these displays are not expected to contain an Apple silicon chip. Just like Apple's latest MacBook Pro models, the 27-inch display is said to feature a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.
While the prototypes are all reportedly encased in unbranded enclosures, Dylandkt believes the displays are likely for Apple given that they have similar specifications to the 24-inch iMac, the rumored 27-inch high-end iMac, and the Pro Display XDR.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to report that Apple was working on a consumer-level standalone display that is set to be more affordable than the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, and if the latest rumors prove to be accurate, the display could be available in both 24-inch and 27-inch sizes. These would be the first Apple-branded consumer-level external displays since Apple discontinued the Thunderbolt Display in 2016.
Most of the information shared by Dylandkt today lines up with previous rumors from display industry analyst Ross Young, who recently said that Apple is planning to release a new 27-inch iMac with a mini-LED display in the first half of 2022.
