Apple's iPad Air could be the next tablet to make the OLED switch after iPad Pro

As Apple reportedly gets ready to launch its first iPad with an OLED display in the form of the 2024 iPad Pro, a new report claims that the high-end tablet won't be the last of Apple's lineup to make the switch to the new technology.

The report, which is based on research by Omdia that was first picked up by The Elec, claims that Apple will start to look towards the iPad Air as the next tablet to move to OLED after the iPad Pro, but it won't happen just yet. Alongside the new OLED iPad Pro, Apple is tipped to be ready to launch new iPad Air models within weeks, likely alongside the new iPad Pros, but they will continue to use the existing LCD displays.

2

So when should we expect the iPad Air to also make the move to OLED? Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on Thursday at the 2024 Korea Display Conference in Seoul, said that the researchers at their firm believe that Apple will launch an OLED iPad Air in 2028. However, the technology won't be quite the same as the higher-end, and more expensive, iPad Pro.

The researcher noted that Apple will likely use a single-stack OLED construction for the iPad Air while the upcoming iPad Pro is expected to use a two-stack tandem OLED display.

The key difference between the two designs is the amount of power required to generate the same brightness. Both the single-stack and two-stack designs are capable of offering the same brightness of display but displays that use the latter will require less power to do so. That can have a couple of knock-on effects, not least an improved battery life for the overall iPad. It's also said that the lifespan of two-stack OLED displays will be longer.

As for what we can expect this year, the new OLED iPad Pro tablets are expected to come in 11- and 12.9-inch configurations while both will use the Apple M3 chip, an upgrade from the M2 that is used in the current model. As for the iPad Air, that's set to come in the same 11-inch size was before wit the addition of a new 12.9-inch version or those who would like a bigger screen but don't want to pay iPad Pro money. The iPad Airs are both expected to use M2 chips, upgraded from the M1 that's sold today, while the overall design of both the iPad Air and iPad Pro are expected to remain largely the same as the current models - bar a potential change in the location of the FaceTime camera. Reports have suggested Apple may move that to the side rather than the top of the tablet when it's placed in landscape mode.