Report: Apple will switch some iPad models to OLED starting in 2022
While the large iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) switched to a mini-LED display, the smaller models may go for OLED. Korean publication ETNews reports that Apple will make the jump with iPads coming out in 2022. Those will be the first Apple tablets not to use some kind of LCD (even mini-LED tech is LCD based).
Samsung and LG are the likely suppliers of the OLED panels. They are currently working on OLED displays for the iPhone 13 (splitting the order 65/30 with BOE taking up a small 5% share). Image quality, weight and design were reportedly the key considerations in the decision to move away from LCD.
However, while phone-sized OLED displays are produced in great numbers, tablet-sized ones are rare. Some Android tablets do use them, but Apple moves around 50 million iPads a year, so companies will have to invest into expanding the capacity of their factories.
Apple will likely start off with a few models at first and add more as capacity expands. These things don’t happen overnight – equipment must be ordered this year, so that the factories can be expanded in 2022, then they will be ready to start production in 2023.
