Apple will shortly end the summer break and initially announce the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch 7 as part of a special event. However, this will not be the only keynote until the end of the year. Apple is expected to unveil an updated 16-inch MacBook Pro alongside a 14-inch MacBook Pro as part of the fall product launches.
While some rumors have spread claiming that shortages are impacting production, a Tuesday report’s sources claim production is running to time. Citing industry sources, Digitimes reports that shipments of LEDs and related components to Apple assembly partners for the MacBook Pro models are proceeding as expected. The market launch of a MacBook Pro series equipped with mini LEDs should take place in October or November. It also says that Apple will have around four million units of the new models manufactured this year.
Although recent reports suggested a shortage related to mini-LED and other components, according to industry sources, everything looks great on Apple’s side. After introducing a new M1 iPad Pro with mini-LED technology early this year, Apple is set to expand its devices featuring this new display.
When the new models ship, the sources claim the total shipments in 2021 will be estimated at nearly four million units. This is roughly equivalent to the 15-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro shipment volumes after line refreshes.
Suppliers have been investing millions of dollars to expand the production capacity of this new display. DigiTimes Asia reports that General Interface Solution, Epistar, and Lextar Electronics are all expanding and making more money as the demand for miniLED displays is growing.
The revamped laptops should come in 14-inch and 16-inch versions. They’re expected to have a major redesign (no more Touch Bar, but more ports and run on Apple Silicon chips (likely an M1X), add 1080p FaceTime cameras, and sport mini-LED displays. Also, look for the return of the late, lamented MagSafe connector.
Given the considerable amount of rumors saying there will be a launch in the fall, it seems plausible that everything is going as scheduled for Apple. However, there is yet to be any real confirmation for when Apple will unveil the models and ship them.
