Upcoming 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Supplies Could Be Limited Due to Mini-LED Production Issues

Apple's upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro may be in short supply when it launches due to production issues of the mini-LED display being used in the device, reports Bloomberg.

iPad Pro Mini LED
Apple suppliers are experiencing poor manufacturing yields of the display, and at least one mini-LED maker has had to pause production as a result of these issues.

Though there are troubles with mini-LED display manufacturing, Apple is still intending to introduce new 11 and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models as early as this month, and as prior rumors have suggested, the mini-LED display will be exclusive to the larger 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

Mini-LED technology will offer multiple benefits, such as a better contrast ratio and improved brightness.

Bloomberg in March said that the refreshed ‌iPad Pro‌ models would come as early as April, but there is still no narrower timeline available. It is not clear if the new tablets will be introduced via press release or if Apple has some kind of event in the works, as the iPad mini is also expected to see a refresh.

Along with a mini-LED display, the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models are expected to feature an A14X chip with M1-like performance and Thunderbolt connectivity.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

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...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
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...
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 ...
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 Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark

Here's When Tesla is Expected to Add Support for Apple CarPlay

Sunday November 16, 2025 6:49 am PST by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Tesla plans to add Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles "in the coming months." This is easily the biggest news for the regular version of CarPlay in years, should Tesla actually follow through with offering the system in its vehicles. As noted by Gurman, this would be a stunning reversal for Tesla and its CEO Elon ...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...

Top Rated Comments

JPack Avatar
60 months ago

how is mini LED better than OLED? OLED can turn light off per pixel, so it’s inherently better at accurate blacks (miniLED pixels have to share backlighting, so if some are supposed to be black and others are not, the device has to compromise, which causes halos or other artifacts). OLED has better viewing angles. MiniLED more or less wins only for absolute brightness and lack of burn in, unless i’m forgetting something.
Mini LED can more easily achieve full color gamut (Rec. 2020) compared to OLED. It's the next step after DCI-P3. Mini LED also offers higher luminance without the lifetime tradeoffs compared to OLED. All other things are roughly equal, including power consumption.

There seems to be this whole religion on "true blacks" offered by OLED. If you ask what creative professionals actually want, that's not high on their list. Wide color gamut and luminance is.

Every single time MacRumors posts an article about iPad Pro and MacBook Pro moving to mini LED, a number of posters seem genuinely surprised with that news. "Why would iPad Pro get mini LED while iPad Air gets OLED? OLED is clearly better than mini LED, right!?" If it wasn't obvious with the XDR, it should be abundantly clear by now. Mini LED offers more advantages compared to OLED.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wouwout Avatar
60 months ago
why not OLED? Samsung has large OLED tablets. Better than mini LED will ever be
(don't start about burn in, your iphone doesn't have burn in either)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheralSadurns Avatar
60 months ago
I say... shut up and take my money :D



Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0924487 Avatar
60 months ago
By the time Apple releases this miniLED, microLED will be just a few more months away :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFan23 Avatar
60 months ago

why not OLED? Samsung has large OLED tablets. Better than mini LED will ever be
(don't start about burn in, your iphone doesn't have burn in either)
Rene Ritchie has said in the past that it's due to a number of factors: brightness uniformity, off-axis colour shift, burn in, pulse-width modulation at lower frequencies:

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
60 months ago
This one you probably wanna wait out.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)