An unreleased Apple monitor with the model number A3350 surfaced in a Chinese regulatory database today, according to a filing viewed by MacRumors.
The filing is likely for Apple's next-generation Studio Display or Pro Display XDR, but there is not enough information to determine which one it will be.
The listing does reveal that the new model will be equipped with a high-performance LCD display. The existing Studio Display and Pro Display XDR both have an LCD panel, so unfortunately this information does not help to pinpoint things. However, it does seemingly rule out an OLED display for this new model in particular.
There have been reports about a new Studio Display being in the works, with rumored features including ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and either an A19 or A19 Pro chip. A new Studio Display with mini-LED backlighting would still have an LCD panel, so the filing does not rule out that possibility.
The current Studio Display was filed in the same database around three months before it launched in March 2022, so perhaps the next Studio Display will be released around March or April this year, if that is what the filing is for. It would make sense for Apple to unveil a new Studio Display alongside the next Mac Studio with M5 chips.
There have been fewer rumors about a new Pro Display XDR, but that model was released in December 2019, so it is certainly due for an update.
If the next Studio Display receives mini-LED backlighting and HDR support, its maximum brightness and contrast ratio would be higher than the current model. And a newer A19 or A19 Pro chip — up from the A13 Bionic currently — should contribute to performance improvements, camera-related enhancements, and more.
The current Studio Display features a 27-inch LCD screen with 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and a trio of USB-C ports. In the U.S., it starts at $1,599.
Thanks, Aaron!
