Apple suppliers are already working on display panels for second-generation OLED iPad models, The Elec reports.
Samsung Display is said to be in the process of negotiating prices for new Gen 8.5 OLED deposition equipment designed to make OLED display panels for devices like tablets. Samsung is reportedly planning to use the equipment to mass-produce Gen 8.5 OLED panels in late 2024 for the second-generation version of Apple's OLED iPad.
Apple has begun transitioning its iPad and MacBook lines to mini-LED displays over the last year, and OLED would be the next step after that. Unlike mini-LED displays, OLED panels use self-emitting pixels and do not require backlighting, which could improve contrast ratio and contribute to longer battery life on future iPad and MacBook models. Apple already uses OLED displays for its latest iPhones and all Apple Watch models.
The first-generation OLED iPad models, consisting of an 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, are expected to use displays supplied by LG Display and Samsung, using existing Gen 6 OLED production lines. Moving to Gen 8.5 OLED panels for the second-generation of OLED iPads is more economical for larger devices than using Gen 6, which is better for smaller devices like smartphones, because it can yield more OLED panels per substrate.
The first OLED iPad models are purportedly scheduled to launch in 2024, so a late 2024 mass-production date for displays destined for second-generation models could situate their launch sometime in 2025.
Various Apple devices with Gen 8.5 OLED displays are expected to launch after the debut of the first OLED iPad. For example, a previous report placed the launch of the first MacBook with an OLED display in 2025, depending on the success of new 11- and 12.9-inch OLED iPad Pro models from the previous year.
