OLED 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Rumored to Feature Brighter, More Durable Display

LG Display has begun developing an OLED panel for a 12.9-inch iPad model that features improved brightness, longevity, and durability, according to The Elec.

OLED iPad Pro Feature
The Elec recently reported that Apple is preparing to release two new iPad Pro models with low-power LTPO OLED displays in 2023 or 2024. The new models could feature improved ProMotion with a wider range of refresh rates.

Further to that report, The Elec is now claiming that LG Display is planning to begin production of a 12.9-inch OLED display for an ‌iPad‌ between the end of 2023 and 2024. Samsung Display is also expected to be preparing to supply panels for the OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models alongside LG Display, now that the OLED iPad Air that Samsung was working on for 2022 has reportedly been canceled.

LG Display is reportedly planning to use LTPO TFT technology to make the OLED panel up to two times brighter and prolong its working life by up to four times. Since consumers keep iPads for longer than iPhones, longevity and durability are said to be important goals for the display.

The panels are expected to use the same Gen 6 substrates used in the iPhone 13 Pro models, which already support LTPO TFT technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz. This could allow for a much wider range of refresh rates between 10Hz and 120Hz.

In a recent investor note from TF International Securities, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple has abandoned its plans to release an iPad Air with an OLED display in 2022, with multiple sources now agreeing on a 2023 or later launch timeframe.

As per the previous report, Apple is currently planning to launch 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPads that use OLED panels in 2023 or 2024. The ‌iPad Pro‌ now appears to be Apple's focus for its first tablets with OLED displays, rather than the ‌iPad Air‌. That being said, the report notes that Apple could still choose to use OLED technology on the ‌iPad Air‌ first due to pricing and supply volume.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

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Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
49 months ago
Still makes no sense to me. If Apple thinks OLED is the better display, it could have switched to OLED this year instead of miniLED, which was a huge investment for them.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacLawyer Avatar
49 months ago
Nothing against iPads.... they are freaking amazing and if you use one for productive purposes or content viewing, good on you.

As for me, they just don't light my fire. I have the base iPad and I occasionally use it but I'll aways be a Mac guy. (IE old). ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
julesme Avatar
49 months ago

Nothing against iPads.... they are freaking amazing and if you use one for productive purposes or content viewing, good on you.

As for me, they just don't light my fire. I have the base iPad and I occasionally use it but I'll aways be a Mac guy. (IE old). ?
I think for the majority of iPad users, the device is a companion, not a replacement, for their Mac.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
49 months ago
Rumors about 2024 really? Can we all survive 2021 first please. Who knows how many of us will be dead by then
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Force332 Avatar
49 months ago

Still makes no sense to me. If Apple thinks OLED is the better display, it could have switched to OLED this year instead of miniLED, which was a huge investment for them.
As Apple has historically been both slow to adapt new display technologies and then doesn't move on from them very quickly when they do, I understand that this seems odd. But I think what it comes down to is keeping ProMotion going in the Pro lineup. Similar to how they waited to adopt adaptive refresh on the iPhone until they could source enough of the LTPO OLED displays for their need. Since the iPad Pros have had ProMotion (using LED backlighting) going back to 2017, they don't want to go backwards and throw in an OLED display just because it's OLED if they can't source enough of them to be adaptive. This sounds like they are aiming to be able to do so in 2 or 3 years. In the meantime, I think they implemented mini-LED as a step up to improve brightness and dynamic range while retaining ProMotion until they can produce OLED displays of this size with the adaptive ability.

My gut feeling at least.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shanghaichica Avatar
49 months ago
That will be me next iPad update.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)