OLED iPads inbound despite recent switch to mini-LED for 12.9-inch iPad Pro

Apple is getting its supply chain ready to produce OLED displays for its iPad range from 2022, according to a report from Taiwanese supply chain news source ETNews. Apple currently uses OLED panels across its iPhone 12, which was the first time the entire range of new iPhones features the self-lighting pixel technology. However, reliable display analyst Ross Young from DisplaySearch believes that we will need to wait till at least 2023 before we see the first iPad with an OLED panel.

The news that Apple is prepping a transition to OLED for its iPad range in the near future is interesting given it was only recently that it added a mini-LED display to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple is also rumored to be introducing mini-LED panels on its new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBooks which are expected to be unveiled next week at WWDC. If Apple does bring OLED displays to its iPad range, it seems inevitable that it will also eventually bring them to its MacBooks too.

The mini-LED display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is considered a marked improvement over the previous traditional LCD panel but it is prone to blooming issues. This is not a problem on OLED panels which have pixel-perfect control over the brightness of each pixel, however mini-LED displays can deliver greater brightness. If Apple does bring OLED technology to its iPads (and potentially MacBooks), it suggests mini-LED displays will be a short-lived transitional technology for the company.

Buy the 12.9-inch mini-LED iPad Pro from Amazon.