After introducing the display technology on both iPad Pro models last year, Apple reportedly plans to bring OLED to the iPad Mini and iPad Air when its tablet lineup is refreshed in 2026.
According to a report by tech outlet MacRumors that cited Taiwan’s ET News, the move comes following speculation that Apple is moving away from the mini-LED display technology to offer more premium devices in its portfolio.
iPad Pro, Air, and Mini To Come With OLED Displays From 2026
While the 2026 iPad Air will retain its 10.9-inch display, the iPad Mini’s screen size will grow from 8.3 inches to 8.7 inches. The upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Air, which is expected to debut with an LCD display early next year, will be equipped with OLED from 2027 onwards.
The report suggests that for the 2027 model year, Apple is apparently planning to use a next-generation low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panel for the iPad Pro with improved light efficiency via Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE). This is said to be 20% more power efficient than the previous versions of the pro iPads. Meanwhile, the iPad Mini and iPad Air are rumored to be equipped with a CoE-powered single-stack low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) OLED panel.
” However, the ProMotion technology, which supports refresh rates up to 120Hz, will continue to be exclusive for the higher-end models. Whereas, the use of a color filter in the display may allow Apple to implement an under-display camera technology for the first time on the iPad. “
OLED panels offer several benefits over LCD displays such as increased brightness, higher contrast ratio, better color accuracy, and lower power consumption. The panels are also thinner and lighter than LCDs, making them much more useful for the iPad, which has a really thin form factor.
The report also says that Apple will purportedly bring OLED to the 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2025, followed by the 14-inch MacBook Pro in 2026. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air will also switch from LCD to OLED in 2026.
As of now, Apple only offers OLED displays on the iPhone and Apple Watch, except the SE variants. According to Mark Gruman of Bloomberg, the company is set to announce the next-generation iPad Pros in Spring 2024 that will come with OLED displays.
The current generation 11-inch iPad Pro is equipped with an LCD display, while the 12.9-inch version comes with a mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display technology, similar to the Pro Display XDR, that can support up to 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness.
Apple To Add Support for RCS on The iPhone, Enabling Cross-Platform Messaging With Android
Additionally, last week Apple confirmed reports that it will be incorporating the global RCS messaging standard, which is widely used by Android smartphones, on the iPhone. The feature set to be available with an iOS software update “later next year” will allow iPhone users to indulge in live chats with Android users, send and receive high-quality images and videos, and also share their locations in text threads.
In an official statement, the company also promised to work with other members of the Global System for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA) to further improve the security, privacy, and encryption capabilities of the RCS protocol.
