According to DigiTimes, Apple is reportedly increasing mini-LED chip manufacturing and adding additional manufacturers into its supply chain to satisfy the demand for new products in 2022. Over the last three years, Apple has increased its usage of mini-LED technology and now provides three products with mini-LED displays: the Pro Display XDR, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the high-end MacBook Pro. Several new products featuring mini-LED screens are scheduled to be released this year, including the 11-inch iPad Pro, 27-inch iMac Pro, revamped MacBook Air, and maybe even new external displays, according to Apple.
MacBook Pro miniLED Panel’s Demand Will Increase By 20%-30%
Apple’s current mini-LED chip provider is Taiwan’s Epistar, but the company’s expanding number of devices with mini-LED displays has led it to seek new sources, according to reports.
According to DigiTimes, China’s Sanan Optoelectronics is dramatically undercutting Apple’s current suppliers’ rates and has now been awarded accreditation to supply the business with chips for mini-LED backlit screens, citing industry sources.
Mini-LED display technology, dubbed “Liquid Retina XDR” by Apple, may provide deeper, darker blacks and greater overall contrast than OLED displays, albeit they are susceptible to a phenomenon known as “blooming.” According to AppleInsider, the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro both employ micro-LED backlighting, which was originally seen in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Apple is eager to enhance manufacturing to employ the technology more due to the popularity of the display in the models. Apple is “aggressively boosting the supply chain capacity of tiny LED panels for MacBook Pro,” according to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Twitter.
When it comes to how large of a boost Apple wants, Kuo says it’s looking for a supply increase of 20% to 30%.
Apple gains a lot of advantages from increasing production capacity, including lower per-panel costs owing to economies of scale.
The rise might also be interpreted as an indication that Apple anticipates strong demand for its high-end laptops.