Apple has not updated the Thunderbolt Display for around five years, which has been outdone by iMacs and Retina MacBooks. However, Apple is reportedly working on a refresh of the external monitor that includes a GPU baked into a 5K Thunderbolt. It might be unveiled at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that starts on June 13, Monday.
Earlier reports that Thunderbolt Display units are running low in Apple Stores seem to be true. There are also no signs that the company has plans to ship more units to stores, which could suggest that a refresh will happen soon.
It is indeterminate if the display will appear at WWDC 2016 and some sources are denying that it will. Nevertheless, even if it is not shown off there Apple might still launch the laptop dock sometime within the next few years.
WWDC is a dev conference so hardware usually is not in the spotlight. However, a GPU baked into the rumored 5K monitor with sky-high 5120x2880 resolution would be big news.
Apple has recently been producing MacBooks that are very thin and light. Due to the space limit this usually prevents adding powerful GPUs to the compact computers.
Therefore, the problem is that MacBooks that would be connected to a 5K display probably would not have the graphics processing power for ultra-high definition (UHD) resolution, according to Macworld. The solution is to put the GPU inside the monitor.
An UHD screen would be a big upgrade for MacBook fans. Thus, the tech giant might unveil it with the MacBook Pro that is reportedly also getting some major improvements and will be launched in the fall.
However, Thunderbolt Display stock is already running low. This could be a sign that Apple is preparing to start selling a new version of the monitor before autumn.
In related news, Apple has admitted that the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro has a Safari freezing issue, according to Mac Rumors. MacBook Pro owners have been complaining about the bug since March.
The glitch requires Mac fans to do a full system restart. Apple has told customers to install the newest version of OS X and also update to the latest Adobe Flash Player.
Here are some MacBook Pro and iPhone 7 rumors: