iPad Air OLED tipped for long-overdue 2027 launch, but at what cost?

The iPad Air is, to my mind, the perfect iPad for most people. It has just the right blend of price to performance to make it the Goldilocks device in Apple's tablet line-up. The iPad Pro is overkill, and the base iPad 11 lacks features for those wanting more than a content consumption device.

So when the iPad Air M4 arrived last month, I was primed to head down to my nearest Apple store and trade in my aging 2020 Air for the new model. But one thing has given me pause: the iPad Air still lacks an OLED screen.

According to a new report from ETNews citing an industry source, Samsung Display (which manufactures panels for Apple's tablets) is set to begin mass-producing new displays for an iPad Air OLED expected to be announced in March 2027.

Moving to an OLED display would presumably bring with it a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Apple finally brought that feature to the regular iPhone 17 last September, so I'd be mighty glad to see the iPad Air get the same treatment.

Currently, if you want the best display on an iPad, you need to go for the iPad Pro for those deeper blacks, enhanced contrast and more vibrant colors. Anyone who uses an iPad for video or photo editing will likely see the value in opting for an OLED device.

It's no secret to me (or probably you either) why Apple is dragging its heels on granting the iPad Air an OLED upgrade. The company wants to keep the best features fenced off to persuade people to go for the Pro models. But in a world where affordable Android tablets have been shipping with OLED screens for a couple of years now (case in point: Honor MagicPad 2), Apple withholding it from the iPad Air feels like gatekeeping gone too far.

The unnamed source in the ETNews report claims the next iPad Air "will feature an OLED with lower specifications and manufacturing costs." Which presumably means it will continue to be distinct from the iPad Pro in terms of performance, storage or certain features.

What will it do to the price?

Apple is riding high on credibility when it comes to affordable tech right now, thanks to the excellent MacBook Neo. But adding OLED to the iPad Air could easily lead to a price increase beyond the current $599/£599 MSRP.

The iPad Pro starts at $999 / £999, so I would hesitate to say an iPad Air OLED would cost north of $749, but with the current situation around RAM pricing, nothing is certain.

Would an iPad Air with an OLED screen tempt you to upgrade? Let me know in the comments.

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