Apple secures more mini-LED suppliers, 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pros are on track to launch in September
It looks like Apple has got its ducks in a row and has secured two more suppliers for mini-LED panels that will be used in the upcoming 14 ”and 16” MacBook Pros. Earlier this month DigiTimes reported that Osram Opto Semiconductors has been signed, now the publication adds that Zhen Ding Technology and Tripod Technology have become members of the supply chain. Or rather they expanded their roles in it.
Zhen Ding already supplies Apple with mini-LED backlight cards for iPad Pro 12.9 (2021), which is the company’s first device to use a mini-LED display. Zhen Ding is reportedly expanding its production capacity to handle the extra demand from MacBook orders.
Tripod’s manufacturing facility is approved by Apple and will begin production of backlight cards in the third quarter of this year. Tripod is also already part of Apple’s mini-LED supply chain, which helped build the new iPad Pro 12.9.
Apple’s explanation of how the iPad Pro 12.9’s mini-LED display works
This means that the 14 ”and 16” MacBook Pros with mini-LED screens are about to be launched in the last part of Q3, according to sources. The likely launch date is in September.
The new laptops are expected to bring a new M-series chipset, called the Apple M1X, which will have higher CPU and GPU core counts and an expanded range of peripherals – eg more than two Thunderbolt ports, one HDMI port, SD reader and more (including returning the MagSafe connector).
