Rumors of Apple’s Mini LED products have been going on since April 2019 and the latest news is that the company will begin mass production of iPad and MacBook Pro with Mini LED backlight display in 2020. Other Mini LED-based products will come in two to three years.
(Image: Apple)
Apple’s new Mini LED products, including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a 16-inch Macbook which are said to be launched the soonest in the third and fourth quarter in 2020, will benefit the company’s supply chain covering chip makers, display producer and assembly companies.
Since Mini LED backlight display require a large number of LED chips, more than one LED chip maker will join the supply chain of Apple. Epistar, Toyoda Gosei, Seoul Semiconductor and Osram are named as supplier for Apple. Nichia, who reportedly provide LED chips for Apple, was ruled out due to its cost. Sanan Optoelectronics might be a potential supplier of Mini LED chips as well.
In addition, display assemblers GIS and LG Display were named as the most significant benefactors with Apple’s Mini LED products. It is forecasted that shipment of Mini LED-based iPad would be around two to three million units, boosting revenue of the tow companies. Apple is also reportedly visiting GIS to talk about under screen fingerprint scanner and might debut the function in its new iPhone.