We’ve been hearing rumors of Apple moving to OLED panels for iPads since last year. The iPad Pro was the most likely candidate to get the upgrade treatment first, but that didn’t happen in 2021, as Apple armed the new M1-powered iPad with a mini-LED display. Now, a report from ETNews claims that an OLED display is locked for the iPad family in 2022.

As per the report, Apple has greenlit an OLED screen for some iPads that will arrive next year. If one were to take an educated guess, the iPad Pro line will be the first to land an OLED panel upgrade, followed by the iPad Air, and lastly the vanilla iPad. Apple is reportedly joining hands with Samsung and LG to source these OLED panels destined for the iPad family next year.

Apple is tapping into the supply chain of Samsung and LG to source OLED panels for iPads

Apple is the biggest name in the global tablet market. As per IDC data, the company shipped a staggering 53.2 million iPads last year, and commanded a market share of 31.7% by the end of 2021’s first quarter. With such a huge market share and shipment figures under its belt, Apple’s adoption of OLED panels for the iPad family is touted to boost a healthy expansion for the global small and medium-sized OLED market.

ipad pro display

The 2021 iPad Pro (12.-inch) comes equipped with a mini-LED display.

Back in November last year, a report from the same publication predicted that Apple will equip at least one iPad Pro with a mini-LED display in 2021, and will then move to an OLED panel next year. Barclay’s analysts Blayne Curtis, Thomas O’Malley, and Tim Long also predict that an iPad rocking an OLED display won’t happen until 2022.

Earlier this year in March, supply chain-focused publication DigiTimes hinted that an OLED upgrade for the iPad lineup is on the horizon. It is worth mentioning here that save for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, all tablets in Apple’s current portfolio are still reliant on LCD panels. 

However, it appears that an OLED panel will be making its way to more Apple hardware soon. Aside from tablets, Apple is reportedly planning to equip its future MacBooks with an OLED panel as well. However, that is unlikely to happen in 2021, as the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro upgrades are said to feature a mini-LED display.


View 2021 iPad Pro (12.9-inch) at Amazon


View 2021 iPad Pro (11-inch) at Amazon