A few days ago I put together a detailed summary of all the products we expect from Apple at the upcoming media “experience” on March 4, 2026. In the story, we talked about new devices like new MacBooks, the iPhone 17e, and a few other Apple devices including the proposed Studio Display 2.
Now the folks at Macworld have discovered something very interesting about Apple’s external display (or displays). According to the outlet, the public release of macOS 26.3 includes kernel extensions for not one, but two new Studio Display models.
macOS 26.3 suggests two Studio Display 2 models
In total, the new software build contains alphanumeric codenames for three devices. The first, “J700,” is the internal name for the affordable 12.9-inch MacBook that is rumored to launch alongside the new M5 MacBook Air and the M5 Pro and M5 Pro Mac Pro versions.
However, the other two – J427 and J527 – are believed to be references to two different models of the Studio Display 2. Although there is no information about the differences between the two models, Apple could differentiate them based on size or features.
Apple’s first-generation Studio Display is currently available with a 27-inch 5K panel. So there’s a chance we could see a 27-inch Studio Display 2 alongside another model with a smaller or larger screen.
Size or features: How Apple could differentiate the models
The second (and more likely) possibility is that the company could reserve some features for one model that would be more expensive and for another, cheaper model (that either retains current specs or receives only minor upgrades).
From what I understand, at least one of the two rumored models could get a higher refresh rate (up to 120Hz), a mini-LED backlight panel for more brightness and contrast, and a more powerful A19 chip (also found in the iPhone 17).
