The new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M1 are the best laptops Apple has released in a long time. Their success can be attributed to the custom ARM-based chip within, which enables faster performance and longer battery life than any laptop in their class.
As good as these new MacBooks are, they do have a few deficiencies. The webcams, while improved, still aren't great, they have few ports, and both the Air and Pro designs could be spruced up.
Another area we also hope to see improvement in is display quality. While we didn't knock the 13.3-inch Retina panels, they are far from best-in-class. Well, those who are patiently waiting for the next round of MacBooks could soon be rewarded.
Digitimes, a Taiwanese news outlet, reported earlier this week that Apple is prepping laptops with miniLED displays, specifically the MacBook Pro. This echoes past rumors from research firm TrendForce, which said Apple would bring miniLED to a new 14-inch MacBook Pro, replacing the current four Thunderbolt version of the 13-inch model.
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.
According to Digitimes, Apple will begin mass production of the MacBook Pro with miniLED in the second quarter of 2021. Firms in Taiwan are currently working on the parts to be used in those panels with Quanta Computers and Foxconn being the main suppliers.
Along with bringing miniLED to the MacBook, Apple is also expected to upgrade the iPad Pro display with miniLED tech. The new tablet is said to launch in the first quarter of 2021, giving us a glimpse at what is to come in the MacBook Pro. Well-regraded Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple will release new MacBook models with M-series chips in the second half of 2021. He believes there will be a 14-inch MacBook Pro and a refreshed 16-inch model.
