Rumors have swirled for years that Apple was considering switching its iPad Pro tablets to OLED display technology, and a new report from the supply chain says the first of these refreshed devices will arrive in 2024.
This is from Waiting for news (opens in a new tab) In Korea (via mike rumors (opens in a new tab)), which claims to be developing an iPad with an OLED screen. The display divisions of Samsung and LG are apparently queuing up to supply panels.
Current iPad Pro models use mini-LED LCD technology: while it has a slightly higher ceiling for maximum brightness compared to OLED, it can’t beat OLED for contrast and black depth.
same size
The 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes will remain the same from Apple’s switch, so the iPad Pro won’t see any noticeable differences in size and form factor, the report said.
Apple has been using OLED technology on its iPhones for years, but producing larger panels is more difficult and more expensive — so keep an eye out for any price changes on the 2024 iPad Pro.
Previous leaks have also put the iPad Pro release date at some point in 2024, so this fits in with that. Apple’s MacBook lineup is also working on OLED technology, with a switchover scheduled for 2026, the report said.
Analysis: Room for Improvement
Apple refreshed its high-end tablet line again last year, and we gave the device a near-perfect score in our iPad Pro review. It’s an impressive piece of hardware from almost every angle, and it’s hard to see how Apple might improve it in the future.
We always expect faster internals every time we get a new iPad, but it’s fair to say that the iPad Pro packs so much power that the average user will never push them anywhere near the limit.
Software updates are always rolling out regularly, too, and iPadOS 16.1 added the Stage Manager tool. These updates are separate from the hardware notes, though, and appear on a variety of iPads old and new.
Apple seems to have decided that OLED technology is an upgrade it can invest in for the iPad Pro, and perhaps eventually for the standard iPad as well. Once this shift is made, there really may not be anything else that can be improved.
