The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec).
"In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on Thursday at the 2024 Korea Display Conference in Seoul.
A two-stack tandem structure consists of two light-emitting layers stacked together. The two-stack OLED design can generate the same brightness levels as a single-stack design, but with significantly reduced power consumption and extended lifespan. The iPhone currently uses a single stack OLED display with one light-emitting layer.
Omdia's latest prediction is an adjustment to a forecast published earlier this year, in which it said Apple will launch 8.3-inch iPad mini and 10.8-inch iPad Air models with OLED displays in 2026.
The research firm now appears to be leaning towards the possibility that Apple will launch an OLED foldable in the next few years in the form of a 7- to 8-inch device that could ultimately replace the 8.3-inch iPad mini. According to a previous report, Apple is reviewing a launch timeframe for such a device between 2026 and 2027. The latest report however does not mention whether Kang Min-soo offered his own timeframe.
Apple's next-generation OLED iPad Pro models are expected to be announced in a matter of weeks, according to multiple sources. They are rumored to have a thinner design, an M3 chip, improved cameras, MagSafe wireless charging, and a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory that makes the iPad Pro more laptop-like.
Apple is also working on two non-OLED versions of the iPad Air, in 10.9 and 12.9-inch sizes, similar to the two sizes of the iPad Pro. These iPad Air models are expected to be introduced as soon as late March alongside the new OLED iPad Pro models.
