Apple’s Pro Display XDR: What’s Next for the Flagship Monitor?

Apple’s Pro Display XDR has been a cornerstone of high-end external monitors since its release over five years ago. While there have been ongoing rumors about a second-generation model, details about its successor remain scarce.

In December 2022, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed that Apple was developing an updated version of the Pro Display XDR, featuring an Apple silicon chip to boost its functionality. For comparison, Apple’s Studio Display already includes an A13 Bionic chip, enabling features like a built-in webcam, spatial audio, and Siri support. The current Pro Display XDR lacks these additions, so a new model with Apple silicon could potentially include speakers, microphones, and a webcam to bring it up to par.

Beyond these updates, there’s speculation that a second-generation Pro Display XDR could introduce a higher refresh rate, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and even OLED technology. In July 2023, Gurman reiterated that Apple is actively working on multiple next-generation monitors, though they are unlikely to arrive before 2024.

Additionally, in November 2022, Ross Young from Display Supply Chain Consultants reported that the new Pro Display XDR might adopt the same quantum-dot display technology found in the latest MacBook Pro models. These advanced quantum-dot display films could provide better color gamut support and improved motion performance compared to the KSF phosphor film used in the existing Pro Display XDR. This would mean enhanced color accuracy and faster response times for the new model.

However, Gurman recently noted that a new Pro Display XDR is “less of a priority for Apple,” given its status as an expensive, niche product. Since then, there has been little news about the monitor, and no concrete information about a release timeline has emerged.

For now, it looks like we’ll have to wait and see if Apple sheds more light on the second-generation Pro Display XDR later this year.