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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.

Mini LED MacBook Pro Feature
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.

Related Roundups: iPad Pro, MacBook Pro
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Top Rated Comments

fourthtunz Avatar
62 months ago
Mini-LED a solution for a non problem.
How many of you would have bought the M2 MacBook Pro in the old shell with no updates?
I would have.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
62 months ago
Wish Macbook Pro is announced soon. Also would like to see 11" mini LED iPad Pro in the future.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arvinsim Avatar
62 months ago
I am going to be disappointed if the Macbooks are delayed due to Mini-LED shortage.

I don't care about Mini-LED. Just give me a better CPU and a bigger Macbook and I will be happy.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisBougieLife Avatar
62 months ago
I'm all for improvements in display technology, but right now I think bringing Apple Silicon to the 16" form factor (with more powerful graphics) should be the priority. If they have to keep the same LCD technology for another cycle I'm fine with that. It's already one of the best laptop displays there is.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
62 months ago

Do you even know the difference between Mini-LED and MicroLED? They are totally different technology.
i think he wanted to say that its very hard to have mini-led with control for individual pixels..since mini-led still at the core is lcd tech and not oled...micro-led can do that...but we are 10 years away
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeLootje Avatar
62 months ago

Mini-LED a solution for a non problem.

I don't know: I use my iPad Pro a lot for work applications that show the user interface in the same place all the time. Maybe they use the mini-LED for the iPad Pro displays to prevent burn-in issues with this kind of use (the same elements on the screen during several hours a day), and OLED for the 'consumption' of content like movies on the iPad Air, where there are no interface elements on the screen for a long time.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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