Reports Suggest Apple Plans Transition to OLED Screens for unborn MacBooks and iPads

Highlights

It is possible that the iPad might be among the first device to have new screens in the coming year.

Apple plans to bring OLED displays on it's iPad Air, iPad mini and MacBook Air devices, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported. OLED displays offer greater contrast and darker blacks than LCDs that are currently in use on the devices. This will make them more suitable in areas such as content creation and entertainment. But, OLED costs more, which could lead to increased prices for future models.

It is in the process of testing different versions of every product that have OLED screens as per people who are who are familiar with the subject. Apple display technology is typically reserved for more expensive PCs and tablets. Right currently, Apple only uses OLED screens on their iPad Pro lineup (apart from iPhones). However, the company could be looking to boost demand for Mac and iPad devices and tablets, with OLED screen transition providing buyers with an incentive to upgrade.

The first device that will benefit from the technology will likely come from the iPad mini, which could be launched in the coming year, according to Gurman's sources. Its OLED version, codenamed J510, could cost as much as $100 more due to the updated display and updated waterproof design. It is expected that the iPad Air as well as the MacBook Air will follow later and possibly 2028 for the MacBook Air.

In the last month the two analysts Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kwuo predicted that Apple would launch the MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen in 2026 or in the early 2027in spite of the fact that Steve Jobs famously hated touchscreens. It's unclear what it will be a touchscreen MacBook Air. MacBook Air with OLED would also come with a touch screen.

In addition to the black-level and contrast tech innovation, OLED displays are lighter than LCDs since they don't require backlights. One of the main disadvantages is absence of brightness.