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| Apple is expected to launch a new monitor this year |
In a move that confirms years of speculation, Apple's long-awaited monitor refresh appears to be on the horizon. Regulatory filings have unearthed the first concrete evidence of a new Apple display, potentially setting the stage for a major upgrade to the company's prosumer lineup.
Certification Hints at Imminent Launch
A recent regulatory filing with Chinese authorities, spotted by MacRumors, has identified a new Apple monitor bearing the model number A3350. This certification is a critical step required before any electronic device can be sold in the Chinese market, strongly suggesting an official launch is being prepared.
While the documentation confirms the monitor uses an LCD panel—dashing hopes for an immediate switch to OLED—it sets the stage for what industry insiders believe will be a substantial internal overhaul. You can read the full report on the regulatory discovery via MacRumors.
The Current Model: Showing Its Age
The existing Apple Studio Display, launched alongside the Mac Studio in March 2022, has remained a polarizing product. While praised for its sleek 27-inch 5K Retina design and seamless integration with the Mac ecosystem, its specifications have increasingly fallen behind competing monitors in its price bracket.
Priced from $1,409 on Amazon, it features a 60Hz refresh rate, a non-HDR peak brightness of 600 nits, and a port selection anchored by a now-outdated Thunderbolt 3 connection. For professionals and enthusiasts, these specs have become a hard sell against the wave of high-refresh-rate, mini-LED, and OLED monitors from other brands.
Three Major Upgrades on the Horizon
According to code discovered in recent software builds, the next-generation Studio Display, likely slated for the first half of 2026, is poised to address these criticisms head-on with at least three significant upgrades:
- ProMotion Comes to the Desktop: The most anticipated upgrade is the jump from a static 60Hz panel to a smooth 120Hz refresh rate with support for ProMotion. This adaptive sync technology would allow the display to dynamically adjust its refresh rate from 24Hz to 120Hz based on content, delivering buttery-smooth cursor movement and vastly improved motion clarity.
- A Leap into HDR Brilliance: The monitor is expected to finally gain true HDR support. This strongly points to Apple implementing a mini-LED backlighting system, similar to that in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. This would enable dramatically higher peak brightness, deeper blacks, and a much more vibrant contrast ratio for HDR photo and video work.
- A Brain Transplant with the A19 Chip: At the heart of the current Studio Display is the Apple A13 Bionic chip (from the iPhone 11). The successor is rumored to receive a massive generational leap to the Apple A19 chipset. This new silicon would power the enhanced 120Hz ProMotion engine, improve the performance of the built-in 12MP ultrawide camera and Center Stage feature, and likely enable new, intelligent display functionalities.
What This Means for the Market
A Studio Display with these specs would immediately become a far more competitive offering. It would bridge the gap between Apple's consumer-friendly display and the ultra-high-end Pro Display XDR, appealing directly to creative professionals, developers, and power users who demand best-in-class motion handling and HDR fidelity without needing the extreme brightness of the XDR.
While the regulatory filing doesn't reveal a name, the model number and timing align perfectly with the expected "Apple Studio Display (2026)." With certification now secured, all eyes turn to Apple's typical spring event timeline for an official unveiling.