Apple Considering Samsung OLED Displays for Next-Generation iPad?

ipad 2 oblique
Talk of Apple turning to OLED displays for its mobile devices has arisen repeatedly for many years now, and those rumors have received another update with a claim from The Korea Herald (via Macworld UK) that Apple Chief Operating Office Tim Cook recently visited South Korea to discuss the possibility of adopting an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) display from Samsung for the next-generation iPad, a device the report claims could be released before the end of the year.

Apple Inc's chief operating officer Tim Cook discussed adopting Samsung's AMOLED display technology for tablet PCs during his recent visit to South Korea, industry sources said.

"Apple wants to tap into Samsung's AMOLED technology for an upgraded version of the iPad2, considered as many as the iPad3 that is likely to be launched toward the end of this year," a source told The Korea Herald on Wednesday (May 25) on condition of anonymity.

Samsung is already one of Apple's primary suppliers for its mobile devices, although the two companies are currently embroiled in a legal dispute begun when Apple filed suit against Samsung for allegedly copying Apple's technology and designs with its "Galaxy" line of smartphones and tablets.

But while the latest report claims that Apple is looking to Samsung for AMOLED technology, a previous report from a different Korean publication claimed that Apple was interested in the company's "Super PLS" technology for more traditional LCDs in the next iPad.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner

Tuesday November 18, 2025 10:53 am PST by
A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip. The study was conducted by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app. It said the results are based on global, crowdsourced Speedtest user data...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
macbook black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Tuesday November 18, 2025 7:32 am PST by
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands next week on Friday, November 28. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M4 MacBook Air and brand new M5 MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Magic Keyboard Touch ID Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for 140W USB-C Power Adapter, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad

Tuesday November 18, 2025 1:05 pm PST by
Apple today released updated firmware for several accessories, including the 140W USB-C Power Adapter, the Magic Trackpad 2, the Magic Trackpad USB-C, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. There is no word on what's included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory...

Top Rated Comments

tekmoe Avatar
189 months ago
Apple to Samsung - "Your products are too similar to ours. We are going to sue you."

Apple to Samsung - "Oh, BTW, we like your displays and would like to use them."

:rolleyes:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NewYorkRanger Avatar
189 months ago
Why would Apple release a new iPad this year when the current unit is still selling so well? It's almost June and they are still hard to find. The competition, while eating into market share, shouldn't be that huge of a concern at this point since Apple has such a huge lead when it comes to consumer confidence and desire.

I'd wait until at least Q1 2012, why cannibalize sales of the iPad 2 so early? There is this huge misconception that people will not buy iPad 2's as x-mas gifts, I just don't see that holding true.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
189 months ago
Apple to Samsung - "Your products are too similar to ours. We are going to sue you."

Apple to Samsung - "Oh, BTW, we like your displays and would like to use them."

:rolleyes:

Apple to itself: "We are in court with Samsung right now, but they are making these excellent displays. Should we buy them or not? " Answer: "Of course we buy them, as long as they are good and at the right price and quantity."

Samsung to itself: "We are in court with Apple right now, but they are offering us tons of money for our displays. Should we sell them or not? " Answer: "Of course we sell them, as long as we make a good profit doing so. "
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
189 months ago
Apple to Samsung - "Your products are too similar to ours. We are going to sue you."

Apple to Samsung - "Oh, BTW, we like your displays and would like to use them."

:rolleyes:
Completely different businesses.

Corporations take things a lot less personally than people. Samsung makes a lot of money as a supplier.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sciwizam Avatar
189 months ago
Only if:

1) No Pentile. Pentile is a bastardization and looks horrid for text and high contrast boundaries.

2) Does not look any worse in high light conditions.

Time to update some old information regarding AMOLED's and Pentile sub-pixels.

The display in the new Samsung Galaxy S2 is Super AMOLED+. The "+" part refers to the true RGB sub-pixel arrangement, not the RGBG pentile arrangement they used in the original Galaxy S.

http://www.oled-info.com/super-amoled-plus-resolution-explained

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
paintblock Avatar
189 months ago
No! No! No!

The biggest problem with the otherwise excellent current iPad display is how badly it performs in sunlight. The LAST thing we need is a switch to AMOLED -- those things are practically invisible in sunlight -- they make Apple's IPS LEDs look like eInk when it come to sunlight performance.

What the heck are you talking about? My fiancé has a Samsung Focus Win7 phone, and I swear it's the only phone you can see without squinting and cupping your hand beneath the blazingly bright Arizona desert sun. It performs so incredibly beautifully in direct sunlight it's not even funny. Super AMOLED all the way.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)