Will the current iPad Air be updated with OLED screen next year?
David Phelan
The next iPad is expected in a matter of days – a new iPad Pro with miniLED as the screen technology. But now, a report suggests that Apple will be updating the design massively by swapping to yet another system, OLED, in 2022.
As spotted by MacRumors, DigiTimes has claimed that OLED could be built into an iPad, and Apple laptops, starting next year.
At first sight, this seems puzzling, that Apple would upgrade the tablet screen technology two years running. That seems very un-Apple. But it could be explained by the displays being targeted at different iPad models.
The miniLED display is expected to land in just one version of iPad, the 12.9in iPad Pro. If this proves correct, my belief is that this model will stick with miniLED for a couple of years at least.
DigiTimes says the first OLED screen apart from the Apple Watch and recent iPhones, will be for an iPad with a 10.9in display. That size, you’ll know, is restricted to just one model in the iPad range, the latest iPad Air.
It might seem confusing that the iPad Air, far from the most expensive tablet in the range, will be first to boast the most highly desirable screen tech. But Apple has debuted new features on the current iPad Air, most notably a brilliant Touch ID screen unlock system built into the power button. So, landing OLED on the Air first isn’t quite such a surprise.
Apple iPad Air with its all-screen design. Is the display going to be upgraded to OLED soon?
David Phelan
Plus, OLED gets more expensive on bigger screens, so the 12.9in display on the bigger Pro model would cost that bit more.
If the report is correct, then the new tablet will go into production towards the end of this year and go on sale in early 2022, perhaps in the Spring slot which saw the iPad Pro land in 2020 (and likely will again this year).
DigiTimes also claims that Apple may also put OLED into a 16in MacBook Pro (or it could even be a 17-inch model) in 2022, though it hasn’t made a final decision on that, yet.
What’s more contentious is the report also claims it’s considering putting OLED on the 12.9in iPad Pro as well next year. I don’t buy that if miniLED is about to land on this year’s model.
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