According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is potentially working on a third generation Studio Display, codenamed J527. This would be a version ahead of the already rumored second generation Studio Display, which is codenamed J427 – but feature advantages of the third generation display are unknown. It’s also plausible that this isn’t a third-generation monitor at all. Let’s discuss.
Last month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple begun development on a new external display, codenamed J427, for release in 2026. This would be a Studio Display successor, rather than a new Pro Display.
However, Apple is also working on an additional monitor, codenamed J527, per Bloomberg:
Now, here’s one twist. I’m told Apple is working on a second new monitor code-named J527. At this point, it seems unlikely that the device would be a subsequent generation, given the amount of time between updates and that we’re still a bit away from the J427.
Gurman suggests that J427 and J527 might end up not being distinct products, and instead Apple is just prototyping with multiple options for a second generation Studio Display. This would make a fair bit of sense, given the fact that it’s been over 3 years since the first generation Studio Display debuted, and there’s still over a year before the rumored second generation model will launch.
Top comment by Fats
Apple needs a full line of monitors at various price points ($799, $999, etc) and feature sets. Especially since it seems they have no plans to sell a 27” or larger iMac. If I buy a mini (or studio), I don’t want an inferior build/display quality 3rd party monitor, but I also don’t want to pay $1600 for the studio monitor (priced more than the CPU itself)!
Additionally, Gurman speculates that J527 could end up being a “second model with a different screen size or set of specifications,” and mentions the fact that Apple’s Pro Display XDR is nearing 6 years old.
All in all, it isn’t necessarily clear what this J527 rumor means. Could it be a third generation Studio Display? Studio Display Pro? Pro Display XDR 2? Who knows. The “27” number in the codename would heavily suggest that this will have a 27″ display size, at least.
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