Apple will become the world’s leading purchaser of OLED smartphone displays in 2021, snapping up an enormous 169 million panels for use in its iPhones. That’s considerably up for the 114.5 million it bought last year. It also puts Apple ahead of Samsung when it comes to buying these displays.
But don’t feel too bad for Samsung.
A trusted Apple analyst recently predicted MacBooks would never use OLED displays, shutting macOS laptops out from the best-looking type of screen. But an expert in display technologies disagrees, as do several other analysts.
iPads with OLED screens have been rumored to be on Apple’s drawing board. And iPhones and Apple Watch already use this type of display. It’s possible the tech will spread to all Apple products. There are advantages and drawbacks to OLED, though.
The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro boasts a swanky mini-LED display, making it the first Apple tablet without a traditional LCD screen.
Apple calls the mini-LED screen in the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro a “Liquid Retina XDR display.” The new technology brings a welcome boost to the iPad’s display quality. And it seems likely that mini-LEDs will show up in MacBook Pros and other Apple gear in the near future.
“This is the display you have to see to believe,” said iPad marketing manager Raja Bose during Apple’s mind-blowing “Spring Loaded” event on Tuesday.
But what exactly are mini-LED displays, and how do they differ from LCD or even OLED or micro-LED screens? Don’t worry: We’ve got the answers to your questions.
Apple will bring OLED displays to both the iPad and MacBook in 2022, according to a new report from Digitimes.
OLED (short for “organic light emitting diode”) screens offer several advantages over older technologies, including more-vibrant colors, higher contrast, thinner hardware and increased power efficiency.
Apple reportedly isn’t prepping a iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2021. This counters a report from several weeks ago that said an iPadOS tablet with the advanced screen is in development.
All iPads use traditional LEDs, but that might change in the coming year. What the new type of display will be is still up in the air, though.
Apple will debut its first iPad Pro with an OLED display during the second half of 2021, according to a new report.
The screens are expected to be manufactured by Samsung, which is said to be renovating one of its production lines specifically for OLED iPad displays. LG will also be involved in production.
Apple will introduce its first iPad with a mini-LED display and refreshed AirPods in the first half of 2021, according to one reliable analyst.
Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities predicts the iPad will be one of six Apple products that will get mini-LED screens next year. Others include iPad Pro, iMac Pro, and MacBook Pro.
Apple reportedly paid out $950 million to Samsung in the April through June quarter for failing to buy a large enough quantity of OLED displays.
This follows a similar situation during Q2 in 2019 when Apple also made a large payout to Samsung for the same reason.
One of Apple’s manufacturing partners for iPhone 12 has reportedly failed to deliver its first shipment of OLED panels this week. BOE is said to have run into quality assurance troubles ahead of mass-production.
It’s not yet clear if this will have an impact on iPhone 12 supply.
Apple is planning another iPad Pro refresh for 2020 that will introduce its first Mini LED display, according to a new report. The technology could pave the way for thinner devices, but it may be exclusive to 12.9-inch models initially.
Apple’s most recent iPad Pro refresh, unveiled on Wednesday, is expected to boost shipments by as much as 40% in the meantime.
