Apple is reportedly looking to refresh its high-end Studio Display in 2026 and a new leak gives us insight into what the company might have up its sleeve for a new flagship monitor.
MacWorld has spied code within “an internal pre-release” iOS 26 build that points to a second generation model coming soon. The site reckons it has spied the same J527 codename that’s previously been rumoured for a sequel model by Bloomberg and others. So what’s in store?
Well, surprisingly, the 5K 27-inch Studio Display (last updated in 2022) might arrive with a processor powerful enough to run an iPhone 17. The A19 processor, which currently sits within the base model of this year’s smartphones, would be responsible for powering the built-in apps, webcam and other features like spatial audio.
However, unless Apple has something else up its sleeve, that does seem to be a little bit of overkill for what is essentially a monitor. Maybe Apple is planning to offer tvOS software, perhaps?
Next up is the possibility of HDR support. Currently the first-gen Studio Display only offers Standard Dynamic Range. If this rumoured feature comes to pass then we’re potentially looking at Mini-LED tech taking over from the current LCD model. That could take Apple beyond the current 600 nits of brightness provided by the original Studio Display and towards a peak brightness of around 1,600 nits if the latest MacBook Pro is anything to go by.
The rumour mill suggests that this model will be unveiled next year alongside a Mac Studio running more powerful versions of the M5 processor. A powerful and expensive combo may await us. We’ll keep you posted.
