Apple's anticipated line of displays fitted with LED backlights could be turned on sooner than expected: next month, if testimony from industry insiders is to be believed, and quite possibly for an update to the 15in MacBook Pro laptop, we'd add.

According to a Think Secret report, Apple ordered 100,000 15.4in LED-backlit LCD panels in April, a month before CEO Steve Jobs admitted such screens are on their way. LED backlight technology consumes less power than standard fluorescent backlights and contain no mercury.

The size of the panels, if true, points to a revamp of the 15in MacBook Pro, which is up for some new models now that Intel is upgrading its Centrino laptop platform this month. The MacBook Pros don't sport the Centrino brand, but they use its processor and chipset technology, and Apple can't afford to fall behind the rest of the notebook industry.