In a blog post this week, Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young said that he expects Apple's next-generation Pro Display XDR to feature the same quantum-dot display technology adopted by the latest MacBook Pro models.
It is unclear if Young confirmed this information with his sources, or if it is merely a prediction, but he is a display industry expert and his track record with display-related rumors for future Apple products is quite good. For example, he was the first source to reveal that iPhone 16 Pro models would feature larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays.
In a social media post last week, Young said the latest quantum-dot display films have equal to better color gamut support, and offer improved motion performance, compared to the KSF phosphor film that he said Apple uses for the existing Pro Display XDR and previous MacBook Pro models. This means the Pro Display XDR 2 could have improved color accuracy and faster response times compared to the current model.
Apple released the Pro Display XDR in 2019, alongside an updated Mac Pro, and the external monitor has not received any hardware upgrades since then. The high-end 32-inch monitor features an LCD panel with LED backlighting, 6K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 1,600 nits of brightness, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., the monitor starts at $4,999, but the optional Pro Stand costs $999 extra.
In 2022, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was working on an updated version of the Pro Display XDR with an Apple silicon chip, something the current model lacks. In the Studio Display, an A13 Bionic chip powers features such as Center Stage camera framing, spatial audio, and Siri voice commands. Additional features that customers are hoping for include a built-in camera, speakers, and a higher refresh rate.
At this point, it is unclear when Apple might release a Pro Display XDR 2.
