Apple's 27-inch mini-LED display might still happen (but don't expect it soon)

(Image credit: Apple)

Despite rumors that Apple had decided to cancel plans to launch a mini-LED 27-inch display with 120Hz ProMotion support, a new report suggests that the project is very much alive and kicking.

But while it's now said that an upgraded version of the Studio Display is in the works, it doesn't sound like it will be launching any time soon. In fact, we could be in for quite the wait for it to arrive.

If this latest report is correct, what could well become the best Mac display for a ton of people might not be with us for another couple of years.

Still happening, but not for a while yet

The original claim by display analyst Ross Young was that Apple had "killed off" the heavily-rumored display although he did add that there was a chance the product could be revived at a later date. But it didn't take long for a dissenting opinion to come to the fore.

That opinion comes from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said via Twitter that the display is still in the cards — but it won't be ready to enter mass production until 2024 or early 2025.

Update on the rumored new 27" Apple display predictions:1. It's slated for mass production in 2024 or early 2025, boasting all the features one would expect from a high-end monitor.2. Utilizing mini-LED technology, and the most notable design change is to switch the material…April 11, 2023

Kuo went on to say that the new monitor will boast "all the features one would expect from a high-end monitor."

Kuo didn't go into detail as to what that actually meant, but we've already been told to expect a display that comes in at 27 inches and features 120Hz ProMotion. That will allow the display to increase its refresh rate when on-screen content demands it but also slow it down when static images are displayed.

The display is also expected to feature mini-LED technology, offering improved brightness and color reproduction. It's also thought that the use of a glass backplane will allow the display to be thinner and have narrower bezels than previous Apple displays.

The display has already had its fair share of drama and it isn't even official yet — we've seen it delayed time and time again, at least according to analyst reports, and it now appears that we could be waiting even longer before it will ship.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.