It was thought that the iPad with OLED display would arrive this year, instead Apple has set its sights on miniLED. Why and when will OLEDs arrive
iPad is synonymous with tablets, and it couldn't be otherwise since Apple actually invented a new category of electronic products in 2010 with the first generation iPad. Of course, over the years Apple tablets have undergone several evolutions, among which OLED displays are still missing.
OlEDs, organic LED matrix screens, are appreciated for their higher contrast than IPS LCDs, a technology that Apple has never abandoned since the first iPad while constantly improving it. It's a widespread feeling, however, that the transition from IPS to OLED must happen sooner or later, also to satisfy that segment of iPad customers who are waiting to receive on their tablets the same technology used for a few years now on iPhones and Apple Watch. So it will not be enough to avoid what seems to be a necessary step the evolution of April that brought on iPad Pro the mini LED technology, which has reduced the technical gap of IPS on OLED in terms of contrast and depth of blacks but requires significant production efforts at the expense of costs.
The iPad with OLED display
According to the latest rumors, the transition from IPS to OLED for the iPad is scheduled for 2022. Apple would therefore be convinced to marry OLED technology instead of extending to the entire range the mini LED technology inaugurated very recently, mainly for economic reasons.
In Cupertino they probably consider more appropriate to the iPad use the IPS mini LED technology, which compared to OLED is much less sensitive to the phenomenon of burn in. iPad is in fact a device that in most cases is used to display the same screen or the same application for a long time, and this mode of use accelerates the onset of burn in endemic in OLED.
This could be the reason behind Apple's reluctance to bring OLED screens on tablets, which could have debuted almost simultaneously to the iPhone and Apple Watch. Yet the decision was made to focus on mini LEDs, which offer contrasts and blacks almost on a par with OLEDs, but have a more complex production process that lengthens production times and consequently increases costs.
Which iPads will have OLED displays (and which ones will have mini LEDs)
So Apple could decide to keep mini LED technology on high-end iPads like the Pro line, where there's a bigger margin to amortize higher production costs, while at the same time it could bring OLEDs to the iPad Air and entry-level iPads to keep costs as low as possible.
According to ETnews, for the OLED displays on the next-generation iPads, Apple would turn to Samsung and LG, the same manufacturers that supply the iPhone's OLEDs today. Apple's move could also give new life to medium-sized OLEDs, which in recent times have been in low demand due to a lack of industrial interest in the use of these panels.