Apple might have one of the strongest commands on its supply chain, but according to the latest reports, its partners are still struggling to mass produce mini-LED panels for the M1 iPad Pro. To be honest, this is not surprising to hear, because an earlier report in April mentioned the same thing.
Smaller 11-inch M1 iPad Pro Is Arriving for Customers, Indicating That mini-LED Production Is the Only Difficulty Apple Is Facing
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that the larger 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro is facing manufacturing issues, primarily due to its mini-LED. Unlike traditional LCD screens, the Liquid Retina XDR panel joins 10,000 mini-LEDs into 2,500 dimming zones, giving the iPad Pro higher brightness levels and an improved contrast ratio.
Due to mini-LED production woes, M1 iPad Pro delivery dates have been pushed back into July, according to Apple’s online store. Depending on how strong demand is, those delivery dates could be pushed back further. What is strange about this report is that there is no mention of the iPad Pro being delayed due to the ongoing chip shortage.
This hurdle may force Apple to delay M1 iMac orders this quarter, but the company has said that chip production problems might also force the iPad Pro to be delayed. Then again, the 11-inch model, which also sports the same 5nm M1 chip as the larger cousin, is expected to reach doorsteps on time, indicating that Apple might not be facing that large of a chip production hurdle as opposed to mini-LED problems.
This may well be the reason why the 2021 MacBook Pro models get delayed till next year, according to a report from DigiTimes. If you recall, there are countless occasions where Apple is said to use the same Liquid Retina XDR panel present on the larger M1 iPad Pro and use them on the upcoming portable Macs, but it will be disappointing if these get delayed as well.
News Source: Bloomberg
