This year, Apple has equipped the iPad Pro with a brand new OLED screen. Those who had hoped that the iPad Air would soon also get such a screen will unfortunately be disappointed. An iPad Air with OLED display is not expected until 2026 at the earliest, according to ZDNet.
Previously reported The Elec yet that these panels would not be added until 2028. This news was shared by Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo during the Korea Display Conference 2024 in Seoul. Min-soo says that the iPad Air will feature a one-stack OLED configuration and is comparable to the OLED panels of the iPhone 15.
OLED for iPad Air
It makes sense that the iPad Air might not get an OLED display until 2026 or 2028. The Air is a stripped-down version of the Pro, and it wouldn’t be smart to equip it with OLED next year, for example. For the time being, this technology will remain exclusive to the iPad Pro, while the other iPad models will still have to make do with Retina LCD displays.
One-stack OLED configuration
According to the Omdia researcher, the iPad Air will feature a one-stack OLED configuration. In a one-stack OLED configuration, all of the functional layers of the OLED, such as the organic light-emitting layer, the anode and cathode layers, are stacked within a single structure. This means that all of the layers required for the OLED to function are in the same stack. This has advantages such as a thinner design, but it limits brightness and lifespan.
Difference with two-stack configuration
A two-stack OLED configuration is an arrangement of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) where the functional layers of the OLED are divided into two separate stacks. Each stack contains specific layers responsible for different functions of the OLED.
This has the advantage that, for example, the brightness of an OLED panel is doubled, while its lifespan is expected to be quadrupled. In addition, a two-stack configuration can achieve better color performance compared to devices with only one light-emitting layer.
iPad mini with OLED
Not only the iPad Air is said to be equipped with OLED in 2026 or later, the iPad mini is also said to be making the switch. Possibly the smallest iPad in the family will get an OLED display in 2027 or later.