Apple's Studio Display launched in 2022 , introducing a number of interesting features and quality of life touches to Apple's desktop monitor offerings, including a host of smart camera features powered by the onboard A13 Bionic SoC. Now, it seems as though the 5K retina display will be getting a much-needed upgrade sometime in 2026. As discovered by Macworld, iOS 26 code references J527, which has previously been identified as the codename for a new Apple Studio Display, and within this code, there are also hints at a new set of features for the next-gen desktop monitor.

Supposedly, the second-generation Studio Display will be upgraded from 60 Hz to 120 Hz ProMotion with a variable refresh rate, and the new monitor will feature both HDR and SDR modes, which points to a panel upgrade—perhaps an update to Mini-LED or OLED, although the latter seems less likely, given Apple's history and the previous rumors that pointed to a Mini-LED Studio Display that was slated for a 2025 launch. The new display will apparently also be updated from the aging A13 Bionic SoC to the new A19 that is currently in use in the Apple iPhone 17 series . While it's unclear what new features this may introduce to the new Studio Display, Apple could take advantage of the updated image processor and more powerful 16-core Neural Engine for both image processing for the built-in webcam. This could mean expanding on features like Center Stage, Spatial Audio, and voice control—the updated SoC could even mean better offline voice processing for Siri.