Oliver Haslam on August 10, 2021, 10:46 pm

Samsung Reportedly Readying OLED Production For iPad Screens Next Year

Samsung is reportedly getting ready to produce iPad OLED screens next year, ushering in a new wave of iPad display technology. Apple’s previous iPads made use of LCD screens, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro now uses mini-LED.

According to a new report by The Elec, Samsung’s suppliers are working on a next-generation process that’s designed to bring OLED to iPad-sized screens.

Samsung Display’s OLED etcher suppliers have begun the development of their new dry etchers for Gen 8.5 OLED panels, TheElec has learned.

[…]

Samsung Display is expecting its customers Samsung Electronics and Apple to increase their orders for IT OLED panels going forward.

The same report does cite someone as saying the displays are designed for use in MacBooks, but that’s more likely to be a misunderstanding than accurate information. Apple is expected to use mini-LED for its MacBook Pro screens going forward, with new 14-inch and 16-inch machines expected to launch before year’s end.

The move to OLED displays will allow for improved contrast and colors, while also potentially using less power than traditional LCD screens. The timeframe of next year is an interesting one however, and we don’t yet know which iPads we’re talking about here. It’s likely iPad Pro devices would be the main beneficiary here.