The latest Apple rumor points to an OLED iPad Pro arriving in 2024
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Apple has been rumored for several years to consider switching its iPad Pro tablets to OLED screen technology, and according to the latest supply chain report, the first of these updated devices will arrive in 2024.
This is from ET news (opens in new tab) in South Korea (via MacRumors (opens in new tab)), claiming that an iPad with an OLED screen is now in the works. The display divisions of Samsung and LG are apparently lining up to supply the panels.
Current iPad Pro models feature mini-LED LCD technology: while it has a slightly higher ceiling in terms of maximum brightness compared to OLED, OLED can’t be beaten in terms of contrast and the depth of blacks.
Same sizes
According to the report, the 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes will remain the same once Apple makes the switch, so there won’t be a marked difference in terms of size and form factors of the iPad Pro.
Apple has been using OLED technology on its iPhones for a number of years, but it’s harder and more expensive to produce the panels in larger sizes – so keep an eye out for any price fluctuations when it comes to the 2024 iPad Pros.
Previous leaks had also put an iPad Pro launch date sometime in 2024, so this lines up with that. Work is also underway on OLED technology for Apple’s MacBook line, the report says, with the switch slated for 2026.
Analysis: room for improvement
Last year, Apple refreshed its premium tablet line again, and in our iPad Pro review, we gave the device a near-perfect score. It’s an impressive piece of hardware from just about any angle, and it’s hard to see how Apple will improve it in the future.
Faster internals are always expected every time we get a new iPad, but it could be argued that the iPad Pros have so much power that the average user will never push them near their limits.
Software updates are also always released regularly, with iPadOS 16.1 adding the Stage Manager tool. However, these updates are separate from hardware considerations and appear on all types of iPads, both new and old.
It seems that Apple has decided that OLED technology is an upgrade it can invest in for the iPad Pros, and perhaps eventually the standard iPad as well. Once that switch is made, there may really be nothing else to improve upon.