Apple said it was working on a cheaper external monitor to make Thunderbolt display successful

Apple began early development of a cheaper external monitor that would be sold alongside its high-end Pro Display XDR, according to BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman. The display is said to be a consumer-focused successor to Apple’s previous Thunderbolt display, introduced in 2011 for $ 999 and discontinued in 2016.

Thunderbolt display

The report claims that Apple’s new, cheaper display will feature reduced brightness and contrast ratio compared to the Pro Display XDR, priced at $ 4,999 before factoring in optional $ 999 support:

As part of its relaunched efforts on Mac desktops, Apple began the early development of a low-cost external monitor for sale alongside the Pro Display XDR. Apple’s current monitor debuted in 2019 and costs $ 5,000 – before factoring in the $ 1,000 stand.

The cheaper monitor would feature a screen more aimed at consumers than for professional use and would not have the brightness and contrast ratio of the leading offering. Apple last released a consumer grade monitor called Thunderbolt Display in 2011 for $ 999, but discontinued it in 2016.

There’s no word yet on the size, resolution, or other specifications of Apple’s cheaper display, but the Pro Display XDR comes with a 32-inch 6K display, while the Thunderbolt screen had a 27 inch panel with QHD resolution. of 2560×1440. The screen would likely have much thinner front bezels than the Thunderbolt screen.