The long-discussed iPad Air will make its move to OLED in early 2027, with display panel mass production expected to start at the end of 2026.

Apple started to embrace OLED as a display technology with the iPad Pro, following after the smaller-scale display in the Apple Watch. However, while there has been some debate over when other models will get the same treatment, a report insists that it will be happening as soon as 2027 for one model.

Multiple industry sources claim Samsung Display will start mass production of OLED panels for the iPad Air around the end of 2026, claims Wednesday's report from ETNews. This will be before the end of the year, with a chance it could slip into January 2027.

The sources are certain it's for the next-generation iPad Air, with a release sometime in the first half of 2027. As for when specifically, the sources believe it will be in March or May.

OLED cost savings

One official told the report that, while they do not know specific sales volumes, the iPad Air tends to sell a lot more than the iPad Pro.

The switch to OLED for the iPad Pro was a bit of a problem for Apple, with lower-than-anticipated sales following the change. The official blamed the high launch price due to the use of an expensive OLED panel.

This won't be a problem for the less-premium iPad Air, they add. Apple will be using a lower-specification OLED panel, saving on manufacturing costs and minimizing the risk of price rises.

ETNews has a generally good track record when it comes to Apple's supply chain. It's not great when dealing with timeline predictions or product specifications. That said the timetable seems reasonable, and we've heard similar before.

Questioning times

Rumors in the past have outlined the shift to OLED for the iPad Air as a practical inevitability. However, the actual timeline for when it will occur is still up in the air.

In March 2024, an alleged leaked roadmap from an analyst put the launch of the iPad Air with OLED in 2028. At the time, it was said the iPad Air's OLED panel will be a single-stack design, instead of the double-layered version found in the iPad Pro.

Source: Appleinsider