Apple might be working on a major screen upgrade for future iPad Airs and iPad minis
We’ve been hearing for a while that Apple could finally bring OLED to the iPad Pro in 2024, replacing the current mini-LED screens with displays that look more like what you’ll find on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max. But it looks like this is just the beginning, as a new report suggests an OLED iPad Air and iPad mini are also being considered.
This is evident from a report from a research agency Omdia (through 9to5Mac), which states that Apple is “continually discussing the possibility of widely deploying OLED technology for the iPad mini and iPad Air.” However, this apparently wouldn’t happen until 2026 or later, so don’t expect this with the iPad mini (2023) or the iPad Air 6.
But if it does happen, it would be an even bigger upgrade for these iPads than for the iPad Pro line, as the current models – the iPad Air (2022) and the iPad mini (2021) – both use LCDs, which will be over generally considered an inferior technology to both mini-LED and OLED.
The main advantage of OLED over both LCD and mini-LED is that it can deliver truer blacks, so colors appear more accurate and the contrast between light and dark can be greater. That said, mini-LED can provide superior contrast to LCD, and also has the potential to be brighter than OLED.
Either way, the upshot is that OLED should be an upgrade for all iPads, but especially those currently stuck with LCD, like the iPad mini and iPad Air lines.
OLED from next year
Better yet, you probably don’t have to wait until 2026 for an OLED iPad if you’re keen to buy a Pro model. As mentioned above, we’ve heard rumors that an OLED iPad Pro will be released in 2024, and this report confirms that, stating that Apple plans to launch an 11-inch and a 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pro next year.
Those are the same sizes as the current models, although notably elsewhere we’ve heard that Apple may have a larger iPad Pro model planned, instead of or in addition to a new 12.9-inch model.
Either way, if and when Apple launches OLED versions of the iPad mini and iPad Air will apparently depend in part on how well these OLED iPad Pros do, although it doesn’t sound like Omdia is expecting them before 2026 either way.
And if you can’t wait for a new iPad, there are already plenty of great options in our list of the best iPads – you’ll just have to make do without an OLED screen.