Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

The new iPad Pro’s OLED screen could come later than expected

By

Apple’s current slate of iPads come with either LCD or mini-LED displays, but the company is reportedly planning to expand to OLED later than expected. An earlier report had pegged OLED as coming to the iPad Air in 2022, but reliable display and supply chain analysts now agree that 2023 is the earliest time frame for an OLED iPad. A report from the Elec claims that Apple will bring OLED displays to the iPad Pro line with help from LG Display.

Today’s report says that development of the display has started for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro first, though Apple will also bring it to the 11-inch iPad Pro alongside it. These would use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide TFT technology recently developed by LG with the intention of increasing the brightness and life span of the panel and allowing for a more variable range for the refresh rate.

iPad Pro 2020
iPad Pro 2020 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Apple had reportedly planned to bring an OLED display to the iPad Air in partnership with Samsung, but the company was said to have scrapped that development. The Elec notes that Apple could still bring OLED to the iPad Air first regardless. While it would be confusing for a “lower” device to get better technology first, the iPad Air’s lower pricing means that it would make theoretical sense for Apple to make a volume play with the Air before rolling it out fully on the iPad Pro.

Recommended Videos

It’s not like Apple’s iPad displays right now are bad anyway. The iPad Pro and iPad Air both have excellent displays, as we’ve noted in their reviews. OLED is just better because it allows for much deeper blacks and richer contrast. Most high-end smartphones — including those from Apple — have switched to using OLED, and even rival tablets from Samsung have already adopted high-resolution OLED displays.

An OLED iPad Pro would widen the gap between Apple and other Android tablets. The iPad Pro would not only have the most powerful chip or the best software ecosystem, but also a display that makes it a media powerhouse. If price weren’t a factor, Apple may just end up releasing a tablet that’s objectively the best on the market in terms of hardware.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Michael Allison
Michael Allison
Mobile News Writer
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
One missing feature has almost ruined the new iPad Air for me
A person holding the iPad Air M2.

I’m a few days into using the new 11-inch iPad Air (2024), and one single feature decision has annoyed me to the point where I’m questioning why it exists at all.

In Apple’s current iPad range, the iPad Pro (2024) is definitely the professional’s choice, while the regular iPad is the one for the bargain hunter. The iPad Air sits awkwardly in between them. While it seems to offer all the power and ability you could want without paying the iPad Pro’s high price, it doesn’t have the ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate screen — and that’s a serious drawback.

Read more
The one thing stopping me from buying a new iPad
Three 2021 iPads are stacked on a table.

Want an iPad? Apple wants you to be paying attention to the new iPad Pro -- and for good reason. It's the thinnest product Apple has ever created, which is impressive considering it packs in a laptop-level M4 processor, a gorgeous display, and a number of new software tricks. But the announcement concealed something far more important: the dustbinning of the 9th-gen iPad. The last of the "retro" iPad designs, the 9th-gen is now finally retired from the stage, and for me, it means this is my last chance to grab a quick and reasonable upgrade for my 7th-gen iPad.

I figured I could grab the 9th-gen for a decent discount now that it's on the way out -- and to Apple's credit, I absolutely could. But a realization began to sink in as I shopped, and I came away without making that final purchase.

Read more
Apple’s next iPad mini could steal this iPad Pro feature
An iPad Mini 2021 displaying the homescreen with a number of apps.

Earlier this month, Apple introduced the iPad Pro (2024) and iPad Air (2024). This fall, Apple will likely update the original iPad, which was last updated in 2022.

But what about the often-overlooked iPad mini, whose current version is actually a year older? We may be waiting a while longer for new iPad mini hardware, but when it does finally arrive, it should be well worth the wait.

Read more