Sorry Mac fans, the much-anticipated 14-inch MacBook Pro probably won’t arrive this year, as previously expected.
Research firm TrendForce (via Ubergizmo) claims Apple will begin working on a 14-inch MacBook and an updated 16-inch MacBook Pro when it releases a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro in Q1 of 2021. What do these all have in common? They will flaunt the new miniLED displays Apple has long rumored to be bringing to its products.
Since Apple is only expected to start production in early 2021, we probably won’t see the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBooks with miniLED until the end of the first quarter or in the spring of 2021.
We don’t know much else about the rumored 14-inch MacBook Pros except that the laptop will almost certainly run on Apple’s forthcoming ARM-based processors. These in-house chips will let Apple gain more control over the supply chain and have a better grasp of how MacBooks interface with iPads and iPhones, both of which are already running on custom ARM chips.
The existence of a 14-inch MacBook hasn’t been confirmed but all signs suggest Apple will use miniLED on its higher-end laptops and tablet. Compared with a standard LED panel, miniLED delivers higher contrasts, increased brightness and more vivid colors. And unlike OLED, miniLED doesn’t risk burn-in.
If Apple goes forward with a 14-inch MacBook Pro, we hope it gets some of the updates introduced on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, including thin display bezels and more powerful speakers.
This news was originally published at laptopmag.com