New iPad Pro and MacBook Models With Mini-LED Displays Again Rumored to Launch This Year

Taiwanese company Ennostar will begin production of Mini-LED backlight units for an upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro in the late first quarter or second quarter of this year, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes.

iPad Pro Mini LED
Ennostar is a holding company that was jointly established in January 2021 by LED-related manufacturers Epistar and Lextar Electronics.

Apple is expected to unveil the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Mini-LED backlighting in the first half of this year, with Epistar serving as the exclusive supplier of Mini-LED chips that will be packaged into backlight units by Lextar, the report claims. This timeframe has been rumored several times, with some reports narrowing down a release to the first quarter, so it is possible the new iPad Pro will be introduced in March.

The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is also expected to feature a faster A14X chip and support for 5G networks on models with cellular connectivity.

It's unclear if Apple plans to introduce a new 11-inch iPad Pro at the same time, as many rumors have only mentioned the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. One possibility is that Mini-LED backlighting will be limited to the 12.9-inch model, with the 11-inch model's key new features limited to the A14X chip and 5G support, but it is unclear.

Apple will likely also adopt Mini-LED backlighting for new MacBook models to be unveiled in the second half of this year, according to the report. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models to launch in the second half of 2021 with a new design, the return of an HDMI port and SD card reader, the removal of the Touch Bar, classic MagSafe charging with a breakaway power cable, and more.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone eSIM Feature

Apple Hints at iPhone 17 Models Lacking SIM Card Slot in More Countries

Sunday August 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Another hint has surfaced that Apple is preparing to eliminate the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in more countries this year. In particular, a source familiar with the matter has informed MacRumors that retail employees at Apple Authorized Resellers in the EU are required to complete a training course related to iPhones with eSIM support by Friday, September 5. There are 27 countries...

Top Rated Comments

chucker23n1 Avatar
59 months ago

The current generation of MacBook Pro is approximately 227 PPI (2012-2021). The Smartphones are approximately 428-458 PPI by 2021.
Yes, but, 1) smartphones are much closer to your face, so a higher ppi is warranted, and 2) the ppi of OLEDs is misleading. Better to compare against a recent TFT iPhone, the iPhone 11 at 326.


It's a significant amount of difference in pixel density and Apple want to fix that problem by improving the PPI on the next generation of 2021 MacBook Pro.
I don't think they will.


You can see why Apple Laptop market share is less than 7% and it's shockingly bad.
Nor do I think increasing ppi will have measurable effect on sales.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jdoll021 Avatar
59 months ago
Fingers crossed for a March release of a 12.9” iPad Pro. I’m on the first gen 12.9” Pro and the touch screen is becoming increasingly less responsive. It’s really starting to get on my nerves!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zen_Arcade Avatar
59 months ago
Hope the touch bar disappears. And that Magsafe and other ports return.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
59 months ago
What kind of useless rumor is that?

'to launch this year'

yea please what else is new? Will there be an iPhone 13? Any rumours? Who knows! Maybe there'll even be an M1X/M2 laptop? This year!


One thing I can say is: if Apple gives up on advancing the 11" Pro I won't upgrade my 2018 yet again. 2020 upgrade was a joke. The Air is not an upgrade from the 2018 11" and now it seems like maybe an A14x will be the only upgrade for the current 11". Yea no. Sorry.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChedNasad Avatar
59 months ago
If only it were micro led. I guess certainly better than no improvement and I don’t think OLED is a great choice for laptops at this point. For iPad however OLED would be great. My galaxy tab s5e was purchased strictly due to the screen being so phenomenal. (And the lower price point)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
59 months ago
I'm toying around with the idea of upgrading my 2018 12.9" iPad Pro this year. My grandpa's iPad Air 2 is on life support with frequent reboots, even after a DFU restore from scratch. He's also having a harder time seeing it. I was thinking about giving him my 12.9" and setting it up in zoomed mode so he can see everything clearly. Then I can get this new one and upgrade to an Apple Silicon Mac in 2022 to spread out my upgrades.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)