Apple is said to be looking at using hybrid OLED technology for future iPads, with 2024 a potential window.
The same report notes that Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology (Taiwan SMT) could also become an Apple supply chain partner for the first time.
Combo pack
The move, first reported by DigiTimes and picked up by MacRumors, would see Apple combine rigid OLED glass substrates with flexible OLED thin-film encapsulation. The result would be a display that would not only cost less to produce but also be thinner than more traditional rigid OLED panels. Such a thing would be beneficial for an iPad for obvious reasons, with Apple always working to make devices thinner and lighter.
The same report has Apple set to bring a new manufacturing partner online, specifically to help with iPad Pro and MacBook Pro displays. “Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology (Taiwan SMT) will undertake SMT process for mini LED backlighting of 12.9-inch iPad Pro and MacBook Pro,” DigiTimes says.
Apple is also reported to have helped Taiwan SMT to get its manufacturing efforts off the ground, increasing capacity to deal with Apple’s orders.
Apple already used mini LED technology in some products, but only the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros and the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro. All of those devices are expected to be refreshed before we see 2022 come to a close, with M2 processors expected to make their iPad debut. M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are likely to arrive in the updated MacBook Pro machines, too.
