If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the launch of the iPad Pro 2024 with an OLED display, we now have a better idea when they may arrive. Despite reports that a spring launch could be on the cards, it’s now claimed that the necessary OLED panels won’t go into mass production until February 2024.
This factoid comes from South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo, and applies to displays coming from both Samsung and LG. If this is the case, and mass production really won’t start until February, it makes it far less likely that the new iPads will be ready in time for a spring launch. March, which is a common time for Apple to release new products like iPads, would be completely out of the question.
It’s possible that the new models could launch at WWDC 2024 in June. While that’s primarily a software and developer-focussed event, WWDC has seen the unveiling of various hardware products throughout the years — most recently the Apple Vision Pro headset.
There have been rumors about OLED iPads floating around for quite some time, but so far Apple has been taking its sweet time getting them actually made. Current models feature LCD panels with mini-LED backlighting, which has its advantages like higher contrast ratio and increased brightness.
The report also notes "that the price range is three times higher than that of existing mobile OLED panels." In other words, the screen for the OLED iPad could cost Apple triple that of the iPhone 15 series. Earlier this year the leaker Revegnus predicted iPad OLED prices, saying that the 11-inch iPad OLED could start as high as $1,500 and the new 13-inch iPad OLED could cost a whopping $1,800.
The switch to OLED would scrap the need for additional backlighting, while offering even better contrast ratios, deeper blacks and lower power consumption. It’s also rumored Apple will be using a new hybrid OLED display, which should help reduce the overall thickness of the tablets. This new design is also said to help mitigate the “crumpling” issue that may occur if Apple tried to enlarge the flexible OLED panels employed on the iPhone.
Of course, developing and employing a brand new kind of display takes time, and this could be part of the reason why OLED iPads have been suspiciously absent so far.
Hopefully once Apple manages to produce and sell an OLED iPad Pro, the rest of the lineup can follow suit. We’ve already heard rumors that the iPad Air and iPad mini could switch to OLED over the next few years, and hopefully the entry-level iPad will as well. But that’s not likely to happen until the Pro models get their shot.
If you can’t wait for a possible mid-2024 launch, you can always be on the lookout for Black Friday iPad deals. Black Friday itself may still be a few weeks out, but there are plenty of Black Friday deals for you to take advantage of right now. And it’s probably the best time to pick up an iPad for less than retail price.
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