First mini-LED iPad could arrive earlier than expected
Apple is planning to launch an iPad with a mini-LED display and AirPods 3 in the first half of the next year, reports MacRumors citing TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The report mainly centers on supplier Career Technology who is going to ship LCP (liquid crystal polymer) soft boards to Apple. This tech offers a flexible way to connect components and also helps with high-speed, low-latency data transfer. The Chinese manufacturer is apparently going to ship acoustic and optical components for soft boards meant for a mini-LED iPad.
The said iPad model will reportedly be mass-produced in the first half of 2021.
Kuo had earlier said that six mini-LED Apple products are in the works including a 27-inch iMac Pro, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 10.2.-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch iPad mini. He had also claimed that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro would be launched in Q4 2021 and it would be Apple's first mini-LED product.
Mini-LED offers contrast ratios and image quality that match OLED. The tech is comparatively affordable and is less prone to burn-in.
AirPods 3 will also enter mass production around the same time
Career will likely supply components for the AirPods 3 too. They will supposedly also enter mass production in the first half of 2021.
The buds are expected to have a design similar to the AirPods Pro which implies they will have a shorter stem and replaceable ear tips. The rigid-flex PCB+SMT design will probably be replaced with the System-in-Package used for the AirPods Pro.
The new AirPods will seemingly be more affordable and they will skimp on high-end features like Active Noise Cancellation. Apple is also said to be working on a new wireless chip and the upcoming earbuds may also offer longer battery life.
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