iPad Pro Shipment Projections Slashed on Sluggish OLED Panel Demand

Apple's M4 iPad Pro models with OLED displays are reportedly facing weaker-than-expected demand since their debut in the second quarter, according to a new analyst report.

m4 iPad Pro Horizontal Feature Purple Triad
Released in May of this year, the 11-inch and 13-inch devices marked Apple's first use of OLED technology in larger screens and were initially projected to ship up to 10 million units in 2024. However, in its latest analysis, market research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) has significantly lowered that forecast to just 6.7 million units.

DSCC's Ross Young reports that shipments of the 11-inch model are likely to decrease by 40% in the third quarter and a further 30% in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter. The larger 13-inch model is said to be experiencing an even steeper decline, with shipments projected to drop by over 50% and 90% in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

Young attributed the lukewarm reception to several factors. The high price point, starting at $999 for the 11.1-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch version, may be deterring potential buyers who view tablets as complementary devices to smartphones or laptops. That's not to say that the new M4 processor and advanced display technology aren't impressive, but they may not provide enough incentive for consumers to upgrade their existing tablets. The limitations of Apple's iPadOS software could also be a factor.

The situation raises questions about the viability of OLED technology in maintaining Apple's premium pricing for tablets. Young noted that in the TV market, OLED has successfully competed with mini-LED technology, but the price differential remains a significant hurdle in the tablet space.

Apple is also said to be working on an OLED version of the iPad Air, and prior rumors have suggested that it will be released in 2026. However, due to sluggish sales of OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ models, Young expressed concern that the ‌iPad Air‌'s switch from LCD to OLED could be delayed by more than a year.

Despite the disappointing sales figures for the OLED ‌iPad Pro‌, Young remains optimistic about the future of OLED in Apple's MacBook lineup. The analyst has previously predicted that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will switch from mini-LED to OLED as early as 2026. Young said he still expects stronger demand for OLED laptops compared to tablets, pointing at the increasing adoption of OLED displays by PC manufacturers.

MacBooks with OLED displays would offer increased brightness and improved contrast ratio compared to LCD models, and the displays would also be more power efficient for longer battery life. The switch to OLED displays could also contribute to future ‌MacBook Pro‌ models having a thinner design.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday October 18, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
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 ...
ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
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 ...
iphone air thickness

Apple Said to Cut iPhone Air Production Amid Underwhelming Sales

Friday October 17, 2025 8:29 am PDT by
Apple plans to cut production of the iPhone Air amid underwhelming sales performance, Japan's Mizuho Securities believes (via The Elec). The Japanese investment banking and securities firm claims that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are seeing higher sales than their predecessors during the same period last year, while the standard iPhone 17 is a major success, performing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones Coming Soon

Friday October 17, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's software engineers continue to internally test iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released by the end of next week. Last month, Apple released iOS 26.0.1,...
Apple iPad Pro hero M5

New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more. With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU,...
iPhone Siri Glow

Some Apple Employees Have 'Concerns' About iOS 26.4's Revamped Siri

Sunday October 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
iOS 26.4 is expected to introduce a revamped version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, but not everyone is satisfied with how well it works. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings. iOS 26.4 will...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

Apple's Next Rumored Products: New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and More

Thursday October 16, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but previous rumors have indicated that the company still plans to announce at least a few additional products before the end of the year. The following Apple products have at one point been rumored to be updated in 2025, although it is unclear if the timeframe for any of them has...
maxresdefault

Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

Monday October 20, 2025 1:55 pm PDT by
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...
m4 macbook air blue

M5 MacBook Air Coming Spring 2026 With M5 Mac Studio and Mac Mini in Development

Thursday October 16, 2025 3:57 pm PDT by
Apple plans to launch MacBook Air models equipped with the new M5 chip in spring 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is also working on M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models that will come early in the year. Neither the MacBook Pro models nor the MacBook Air models are expected to get design changes, with Apple focusing on simple chip upgrades. In the case of the MacBook Pro, a m...

Top Rated Comments

Docsta80 Avatar
14 months ago
iPadOS has held back the iPad for years now.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dawn of Individual Merit Avatar
14 months ago
The iPad will continue to be useless because of its OS limitations as long as Cook is too afraid of cannibalising the Mac.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SicTransitGloriaMundi Avatar
14 months ago

Shrink those ugly bezels for starters.
those bezels are excellent if you actually hold the tablet in your hands.

ps: in before, "i'm still using my 2018 ipad pro and it still runs flawlessly"
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MaximizedAction Avatar
14 months ago
Well we planned to and bought two of those on release and are quite happy with them.

If I had to guess a weakness, it’d be the pretty simplistic OS holding back the hardware’s potential and more use cases in people’s lives.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Filero Avatar
14 months ago
Porsche hardware + FIAT operating system @ Apple (crazy) prices.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djc6 Avatar
14 months ago
Maybe its because older models are still plenty powerful for what most people do with an iPad.

Are M1/M2 iPad Pro users going to notice a serious difference?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)