According to a new report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will transition the iPad Air to OLED displays in the second half of next year, while the mini LED screen technology will remain exclusive to upcoming higher-end iPad Pro models.
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Apple is expected to be just weeks away from the launch of a mini LED iPad Pro, the first Apple device with the newer technology. In Kuo’s latest investor note, seen through MacRumorsthe analyst underscores his belief that even when the PiPad Air moves to an OLED display in 2022, mini-LED will remain in its tablet lineup as a display technology exclusive to iPad Pro models.
The market is concerned that if the iPad starts using OLED in 2022, Apple will abandon the mini LED. However, according to our latest industry research, if the iPad uses an OLED screen in 2022, it will be the mid / low-end iPad Air,, while the high-end iPad Pro will still use a mini LED screen. The adoption of OLED in iPad does not affect the positive trend of mini LEDs. Since the OLED used in iPad is a rigid type and has a significantly lower PPI than the iPhone, it is less challenging to manufacture and the cost is close to the LCD screen currently used in iPad Air.
Kuo envisions a future iPad lineup in which OLED and mini LEDs further differentiate Apple’s mid-to-low-end iPad Air models from the iPad Pro devices. Apple currently uses OLED screens in the Apple Watch and the iPhone, while Macs and iPad still keep the older LCD technology. OLED screens offer higher brightness, deeper blacks and wider viewing angles. However, they often cost significantly more to manufacture than LCDs.
Earlier this month, DigiTimes reported that a 10.9-inch iPad, presumably the iPad Air, will be updated with an OLED display in early 2022. Contrary to Kuo’s comment, DigiTimes stated that Apple would also use OLED technology for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. DigiTimes has also claimed that Apple could release 16-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro with OLED later next year.
Apple is already working on several products with mini LED displays, including redesigned MacBook Pros. Kuo believes Apple’s use of mini-LED will accelerate in the coming years as manufacturing costs fall, with Apple’s mid-to-high-end devices consistently adopting the technology first.