Kuo: iPad Air to Adopt OLED in 2022, Mini-LED to Remain Exclusive to iPad Pro Models
Apple will transition the iPad Air to OLED displays in the second half of next year, while mini-LED display technology will remain exclusive to upcoming higher-end iPad Pro models, according to a new report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple is expected to be just weeks away from launching a mini-LED iPad Pro, the first Apple device to feature the newer technology. In Kuo's latest investor note, seen by MacRumors, the analyst underlines his belief that even when the iPad Air transitions 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 worried that if the iPad starts to use OLED in 2022, Apple will abandon the mini LED. However, according to our latest industry survey, if the iPad adopts an OLED display in 2022, it will be the mid-/low-end iPad Air, while the high-end iPad Pro will still use a mini LED display. The adoption of OLED in iPad does not affect the positive trend of mini LED. Since the OLED used in iPad is a rigid type and has a significantly lower PPI than iPhone, it is less challenging to produce, and the cost is close to the LCD currently used in iPad Air.
Kuo envisions a future iPad lineup in which OLED and mini-LED further differentiate Apple's mid-to-low end iPad Air models from its iPad Pro devices. Apple currently uses OLED displays in the Apple Watch and the iPhone, while Macs and iPad still retain the older LCD technology. OLED displays offer higher brightness, deeper blacks, and wider viewing angles. However, they often cost significantly more to produce 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. In contrast to Kuo's note, DigiTimes stated that Apple would also adopt OLED technology for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. DigiTimes has also claimed that Apple might release 16-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro with OLED later on next year.
Apple is already working on several products with mini-LED displays, including redesigned MacBook Pros. Kuo believes that Apple's use of mini-LED will accelerate in the coming years as production costs decrease, with Apple's mid-to-high-end devices consistently adopting the technology first.
Popular Stories
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass.
The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
Apple is "drastically" cutting production of the iPhone Air and shifting focus toward the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, Nikkei Asia reports.
The business publication claims to have learned of a major cut to iPhone Air production motivated by weaker-than-expected consumer interest, nearly to "end of production levels." Despite early reports of the iPhone Air selling out within hours of...
Back in 2012, an Apple retail employee named Sam Sung went viral because his name is similar to Samsung, one of Apple's main competitors. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he detailed that period in his life, how Apple responded, and he explained why he ultimately changed his name.
Someone posted an image of Sung's Apple business card on Reddit in 2012, and it spread rapidly....
General Motors began phasing out support for CarPlay in its electric vehicles back in 2023, leading to complaints from iPhone users, but the company has no plans to back down.
In fact, GM is going further and plans to remove CarPlay from all future gas vehicles, too. In an interview with The Verge, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the company opted to prioritize its platform for EVs, but the...
Apple plans to launch a new type of iPhone every year for the foreseeable future, according to an Asia-based source.
The detailed information was shared by the account "yeux1122" in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver, citing domestic trend and component research companies.
Corroborating other reports, Apple will apparently launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, featuring a...
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then...
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps.
More features and changes will follow in future ...
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below.
Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle
Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...
Kohler is expanding its line of bathroom products with Dekoda, an iPhone-connected device that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim (via The Verge). The device's included "sensors" point into the toilet bowl, allowing it to analyze what goes on in the bathroom.
According to Kohler, Dekoda is a health tracker that can monitor gut health and hydration, as well as detect the presence of...
