Apple has just confirmed they have discontinued production of its Thunderbolt Display, the large external display to connect MacBooks or other Macs. However, a newer, improved version is currently in the works.
According to Apple Insider, the tech giant has been working on its successor. The new 'Thunderbolt Display' will likely feature a 5K resolution display of 5120x2880 pixels. On top of that, Apple are planning to integrate a dedicated external GPU into the display.
The reason is primarily for compatibility. Due to the immense graphics, a computer needs a significantly powerful GPU. However, with Apple aiming to design its popular MacBooks as thin and light as possible, this has prevented the addition of powerful GPUs.
Therefore, Apple settled to include a powerful GPU inside the display itself, which allows a smaller machine like the 12-inch MacBook to operate properly with a large Retina display. Though there is no news yet on how the new Apple Display will connect to a Mac, many speculate that it will be via a USB-C port instead of the Thunderbolt 3.
Apple is also expected to launch a redesigned MacBook Pro later this year with smaller USB-C ports replacing the full sized USB ports found on the current models, which might be used to connect the new Apple Display to Macs.