iPad Pro announcement still on track despite Mini-LED shortage

By Ewdison Then/April 12, 2021 1:31 am EST

There has been a global shortage of chips due to the combination of several factors, some going as far back as last year. Those pieces of silicon, however, might not be the only ones in short supply. Production of Mini-LED displays are said to be yielding low volumes and that, in turn, might affect companies that rely on these panels for their products. One of those is reportedly Apple but insider reports now claim that the debut of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro will still push through this month despite that situation.

The next-gen top-tier iPad Pro has long been rumored to upgrade its display technology without yet going over to the OLED side. It would still be powered by LCD but will utilize a Mini-LED panel to produce better contrast and brighter images. Apparently, however, these Mini-LED screens aren't that easy to produce during these times, leading to a supply shortage that could threaten Apple's schedules.

According to Bloomberg, Apple's top Mini-LED suppliers are reportedly having production suppliers due to poor yields. The exact reason for this hasn't been disclosed, though, but it's not hard to imagine global economics playing a big role in that.

Regardless, however, the report also states that Apple will still push through with its announcement of the new iPad Pros this second week of April. Only the top-of-the-line 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be sporting the new Mini-LED screen anyway and it seems that the company is willing to push actual shipping dates back by a few weeks. This is the same strategy it has used for the iPhone X and last year's iPhone 12 whenever production is unable to keep up with its schedule.

The iPad Pro is shaping up to be quite the revolutionary portable computing device this year, even without a Mini-LED screen. It is expected to upgrade the USB-C port to Thunderbolt to support more peripherals such as monitors. It is also rumored to have a new Apple A14X chip that may be on par with the Apple M1 on the new breed of Macs.