Samsung has begun developing “tandem” OLED panels for new iPad models that are scheduled to be released in 2024, according to a new report.
Sources say that after Apple has begun transitioning to OLED displays for iPad — which was supposedly scheduled to begin this year before the move was shelved — it will follow with new OLED MacBook and iMac models.
Samsung plans new OLED displays for iPad
It’s clear Apple is working to do away with LCD displays in many of its devices. iPhone has already made the switch to OLED, while the newest iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models use new and almost-as-good mini-LED displays.
Rumors surrounding an OLED switch for iPad have circulated for years, but the move is yet to come to fruition. It’s not completely clear why that is. Some reports point to production problems, while others blame OLED’s burn-in risk.
It seems, however, that Apple may be close to eliminating whatever it is that has held back an OLED iPad up to this point. The Elec reports that Samsung is working on new OLED screens for iPad models set to launch in 2024.
“Samsung Display has begun the development of OLED panels with a two-stack tandem structure where the panel has two emission layers (EML),” reads the report, citing unnamed sources in the supply chain.
OLED MacBook and iMac to come
“Cupertino is widely expected to launch its first iPad that sports an OLED panel in 2024. It is also expected to apply OLED panels to its MacBook and iMac lines afterward,” the report adds.
Those “tandem” OLED panels are said to be twice as bright as traditional OLED screens, with longer lifespans. They are said to be a preference for Apple, given that iPad and MacBook tend to be used for a lot longer than iPhone.
The Elec also reports that Apple planned to launch an OLED iPad last year but ended up delaying it. This echoes claims made by analysts Ross Young of DCSS and Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities.
