Apple Patents Dual 'Pro Stand' for Studio Display and Pro Display XDR

Apple has won a patent for a dual monitor stand that appears to be based on the "Pro Stand" design option for the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR.

dual pro stand patent 1
The patent filing first surfaced in 2020, but now the United States Patent and Trademark Office has officially granted Apple the patent. The granted patent, spotted by Patently Apple, is simply titled "Dual Display Stand," and details a mechanical design that seeks to address the shortcomings of existing multi-display solutions, offering easy and precise adjustment for up to two external displays.

The filing outlines a large display stand with two spaced-apart legs, connected by a horizontal support bar that allows two displays to be mounted. The stand allows for a high level of precise adjustment and control, with vertical, horizontal, and center pivot degrees of freedom. Apple offers a brief description of the improvements offered by the stand in the patent:

The display stand provides improved smoothness, rigidity, and comfort for the user to support and use multiple displays on a single stand.

dual pro stand patent 2
The stand seems to use the same moveable joints as the existing Pro Stand for the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, but places them on rail shuttles for horizontal adjustment. A central joint on the support bar allows the stand to adjust the angle between the displays.

dual pro stand patent 3
The stand has handles on each side that can be twisted to easily adjust the height of the support bar for exact vertical adjustment. The patent notes that the entire bar is lifted regardless of the angle of the support bar or which handle is turned.

The patent also stresses that the shuttles on the continuous rail provide "smooth, consistent contact" with the rails despite adjustments to the support bar using wheels.

dual pro stand patent 4
The filing explains why the Dual Display Stand solution may be better than existing third-party stand solutions such as independently-movable VESA-mount arms:

When users use multiple displays in a workspace, the displays are generally supported by multiple different individual stands or by independently-movable arms that extend from a single support point. These individual stands or arms unnecessarily take up large spaces, are often aesthetically unpleasing, overcomplicated, and have inefficient redundant mechanisms. When multiple displays are used on independent arms, they can be difficult to align in a smooth and precise way due to inconsistent counterbalancing and arm lengths. When multiple displays are used on a single support, they cannot be effectively adjusted relative to each other about a vertical axis.

When it first emerged in 2020, it was striking how far developed the patent filing was, effectively outlining an entire product. Normally, Apple's patent filings focus on a specific part of a device or system, and while the dual display stand's mechanical operations are all able to come under a single filing, there are very clear similarities to the existing Pro Stand alongside a pronounced level of detail for a hitherto unknown Apple accessory.

Given this level of completeness, it is possible that Apple may be planning to bring the Dual Display Stand to customers at some point in the future. There is also a chance it may be reserved for internal corporate use or simply for retail store display units. That being said, patent filings only reliably show what Apple is researching and developing, and many aspects detailed in its patents never materially emerge.

It is worth noting that while the Pro Display XDR's stand is interchangeable thanks to a magnetic mounting system, the Studio Display's stand is not and it must be configured with the preferred stand upon purchase. This means that any new dual display stand for the Studio Display would similarly have to be configurable at the point of purchase, with different options available for the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR. It is also possible that by the time any such accessory would be available, future iterations of the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR could feature improved mounting systems.

Apple's Pro Stand for the Pro Display XDR, sold separately from the display itself, caused controversy when it was announced in June 2019 for its $999 price tag. In March this year, Apple brought the same height- and tilt-adjustable stand design to the Studio Display with a $400 add-on option. At minimum, the patent suggests that Apple's work on new mechanical display stands is ongoing.

Tag: Patent
Related Forum: Mac Accessories

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...
11th gen ipad blue

Apple to Launch New Low-Cost 11-Inch iPad in the Spring

Friday July 11, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will launch a new 12th generation entry-level iPad in the spring of next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is said to have two versions of the entry-level 11-inch iPad in development, codenamed J581 and J582. These could refer to different storage capacities – in which case, Apple may be planning to drop the existing lowest capacity option. The current iPad 11 is...

Top Rated Comments

nicolas_s Avatar
40 months ago
Imagine the price
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
40 months ago

That’ll be $1299, thank you.
That would be a "bargain" considering the standard stand is 999$, I think it would be more in the 1500-2000$ range
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
40 months ago

That’ll be $1299, thank you.
Lol, this is supposed to replace two $1k stands, it'll easily be $2499 for the privilege of owning an Apple "Pro" stand.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AAPLGeek Avatar
40 months ago

That’ll be $1299, thank you.
More like $2999.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
40 months ago
Can’t imagine how over engineered and overpriced this stand would be
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JM Avatar
40 months ago
That’ll be $1299, thank you.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)