If there's one thing that the best MacBooks and lower cost iPads have desperately needed for a while, it's OLED displays. iPhones have had them for almost a decade, and it's hardly breakthrough technology at this point — which makes their continued absence so strange. Thankfully, that looks like it's about to change.
Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, claims that Apple is now testing OLED displays for future versions of the MacBook Air, iPad Air and iPad mini. That means they could be about to join recent versions of the iPad Pro, which have had an OLED display since the release of iPad Pro M4 last year.
Which Apple products are getting OLED first?
Gurman believes that the iPad mini 8 will be the first to make the transition to OLED, and it could arrive as early as next year. While that does feel like a weird decision on Apple's part, and Gurman doesn't elaborate on the decision, the iPad mini's smaller size may play a part in why it's getting preferential treatment.
We've heard various reports that Apple has had production issues with OLED screens, which have led to delays. So continuing the transition with smaller 8-inch displays, which are closer in size to existing iPhones, could be a simple way to keep the momentum on the OLED transition going. Plus, the iPad mini 7 was released a year ago, and by the time the rumored OLED MacBook Pro arrives, it will be due for an upgrade.
So the timing fits better for a mini OLED switcheroo compared to the iPad Air or MacBook Air M5, since a refresh for both is expected in early 2026 — with reports claiming they'll stick with LCD.
As for the entry-level iPad, don't expect that to ditch the LCD anytime soon. Gurman's report says that there are no plans to switch from LCD, and that makes perfect sense when you consider the kind of product it is. The cheapest iPad has always been the last iPad to get new technology, as we saw with the Lightning to USB-C switchover that only concluded with the release of iPad 10th generation back in 2022.
Plus, new tech is expensive and OLED is still considered a premium product. So it's natural that the cheapest model has to wait until the cost of implementing it drops — otherwise the price would rise to unsustainable levels.
What are the benefits of OLED?
"So," I hear you say, "this OLED stuff is apparently on the way, but what's the benefit to me, the average Apple-buying consumer? What's wrong with sticking with an LCD panel?"
While there's nothing "wrong" with LCD, per se, the idea of getting OLED iPads and MacBooks has a lot of people very excited because the technology has a bunch of extra benefits to go with it. The main one being that OLED screens tend to offer better color quality and contrast, especially with those true blacks, and improved viewing angles — something LCD iPads can struggle with.
The other, often-forgotten benefit is that OLED panels are a lot thinner than LCD panels. LCD screens rely on a bunch of layers, including one giant backlight to illuminate all the pixels. Because OLED pixels are individually powered and lit up, they can be applied straight onto the display glass — meaning you get a thinner and lighter device in the process. There's also no liquid crystal layer that pulses if you press the screen a little too hard.
There is the problem of burn-in, but for the most part, that isn't really something you need to concern yourself with. Manufacturers like Apple do know that it could pose a problem and have measures in place to stop it from being an issue.
But you'll end up seeing all that for yourself, once the OLED panels make their way to even more Apple devices.
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