iPad mini could be next to get an OLED display
0 Facebook x.com Reddit Rumor Score 🤔 Possible
Apple could be making big moves Changes to the displays of the iPad mini, iPad Air, and MacBook Air, according to a display roadmap, including a switch to OLED models starting in 2026.
Apple has been gradually adding OLED to its products, but has so far only used the display technology in its premium iPad Pro line. While the company is expected to eventually release more OLED products, it’s unclear exactly when that will happen.
The next update could come in 2026, according to a product roadmap released for the X on Thursday. The roadmap, obtained by Omdia and shared by “@Jukanlosreve,” outlines what Apple’s next steps could be for OLED.
The earliest iPad change is 2026, according to a chart, when the iPad mini will get an 8.4-inch hybrid OLED display with rounded corners. It's identified as having a single RGB layer, rather than the iPad Pro's Tandem approach, and is also set to use LTPS TFT.
Omdia's alleged roadmap for Apple displays – Image credit: @Jukanlosreve/X.com
Later that year, the MacBook Pro lineup is expected to switch to a hybrid OLED Tandem display with an oxide TFT. The displays are also said to be slightly larger, at 14.3 inches and 16.3 inches, up from 14.2 inches and 16.2 inches, respectively.
By 2027, the iPad Air is said to get its own 11-inch and 13-inch hybrid OLED display with a single layer of RGB and LTPS.
The timeline suggests there will be plenty of activity in 2028, with the iPad Pro models continuing to use 11-inch and 13-inch OLED Tandem hybrid displays with LTPO TFT, but also TSP on TFE (thin film touch panel) and a polarizer-less design.
The MacBook Air, meanwhile, will use slightly larger 13.8-inch and 15.5-inch hybrid OLED displays with LTPO or oxide TFT, as well as TSP on TFE.
Finally, in 2028, the rumored foldable device will feature an 18.8-inch foldable Tandem OLED with LTPO TFT, TSP on TFE, and no polarizer.
Quite plausible
The source of the leak is not directly from Apple or a supplier. Omdia is an analytics firm, which muddies the waters about whether to trust the graph or not. It’s likely that the analysts who created it have researched the topic by analyzing the supply chain and other factors, so it may be an educated guess at best.
It’s an educated guess, however, and one that aligns with what others are thinking. When asked to discuss the roadmap, Ross Young of DSCC, who specializes in displays, agreed.
In his response to X, Yang said he “presented something similar yesterday at the OLED World Summit.” He notes that he made one difference in his version, namely that the MacBook Air would “have an oxide back.”
Previous rumors about OLED displays also generally agree with the timeline.
A November report said that the MacBook Air’s OLED display had been delayed from its expected 2027 release to 2028. Meanwhile, in May, Apple supply partner Samsung Display was said to be working on a new iPad mini display using OLED, scheduled for release in 2026.
Rumor Score
🤔
Possible
Follow AppleInsider on Google News
