Whereas Apple is predicted to unveil the majority of its 2024 iPad lineup within the subsequent week or so, trade analysts are already anticipating what future generations of Apple’s tablets will provide.
After years of rumors, it’s all however sure that Apple’s highest-end iPad Professional fashions will lastly embrace OLED screens this yr. This can as soon as once more convey the 2 sizes again into concord after Apple’s 2021 determination to undertake a greater mini-LED display screen solely in its bigger 12.9-inch iPad.
That left the 11-inch iPad Professional behind on the older Liquid Retina LCD. Whereas it retained its Professional-exclusive 120Hz ProMotion refresh charge, the display screen know-how wasn’t in any other case a lot totally different than the panels used within the mid-tier iPad Air lineup.
This dissonance continued into Apple’s 2022 M2 iPad Professional lineup, so this yr’s rumored swap to OLED needs to be thrilling information for followers of the smaller professional pill. The brand new show know-how may also doubtless lead to a fair thinner design for each tablets.
In the meantime, the iPad Air is predicted to retain the Liquid Retina LCD that’s been used since that mannequin’s 2020 redesign. The largest change for Apple’s extra reasonably priced pill lineup shall be a literal one — a bigger 12.9-inch model of the iPad Air is predicted to debut alongside a brand new model of the present 10.9-inch type issue. Nevertheless, we’re anticipating few different modifications past a bump to Apple’s M2 chip and a transfer to a panorama digicam much like what Apple did with its late-2022 entry-level iPad.
Nevertheless, plainly OLED panels received’t stay unique to the iPad Professional ceaselessly. As with Apple’s iPhone lineup, it’s inevitable that the corporate will ultimately convey these to its lower-end tablets. Now, a brand new provide chain forecast is placing a brand new timeframe on that.
A brand new report from analysis agency Oldie shared by The Elec and MacRumors expects the iPad Air to maneuver to OLED inside 4 years.
In a presentation on the 2024 Korea Show Convention in Seoul yesterday, Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo pegged 2028 because the anticipated timeframe for the iPad Air to realize the brand new show know-how.
In 2028, we anticipate the iPad Air to go OLED as nicely, with the iPad Air utilizing single-stack and the iPad Professional utilizing two-stack tandem OLEDs.
Kang Min-soo
What’s notable about that is that analysts had beforehand drawn up a way more optimistic timeline for Apple’s OLED iPad plans. A number of sources drew up a roadmap in November that predicted we’d see a brand new iPad mini and 10.9-inch iPad Air with OLED by 2026, adopted by an OLED 12.9-inch mannequin by 2027. That was roughly echoed by Omdia final month, solely pushing the iPad mini to 2027.
The issue with predictions that run this far into the longer term is that something can occur between from time to time. Whereas it’s doable Apple might speed up its plans, it appears extra doubtless that we’ll hear about further delays that would push different OLED iPad fashions even additional out.
To place this in some perspective, Apple launched its first OLED iPhone in 2017, the iPhone X, alongside the LCD-equipped iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. That development continued for an additional two years with the iPhone XS/XR and iPhone 11 fashions earlier than your entire iPhone 12 lineup shifted to OLED.
The truth is, 2020 was an uncommon yr because it was the primary and solely time each normal and professional fashions have successfully had the identical screens. It’s extensively believed that Apple wished to go to 120Hz ProMotion shows that yr, however pandemic-related provide chain issues put these plans on maintain . The quicker shows didn’t arrive till the iPhone 13 Professional the next yr.
However, the iPhone’s transition from the primary OLED panel to full OLED assist took about three years and 4 iPhone generations. With a for much longer launch cycle between iPad fashions, it wouldn’t be stunning to see the same period of time elapse earlier than the iPad Air will get the OLED remedy.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]