Kuo: 2022 iPad Air won't use OLED to avoid harming 11-inch iPad Pro sales

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in iPad edited January 2022
Rumors of Apple's decision to cancel the development of an OLED display for the 2022 iPad Air have been bolstered by an analyst note to investors, with Apple to continue using LCD to avoid clashing with an inbound 11-inch iPad Pro update.




On Wednesday, it was reported that Apple was canceling plans to introduce an "iPad Air 5" with OLED screens in 2022, along with the iPad Pro getting the technology in 2023. In a note to investors, famed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities has seemingly backed the claim.

According to Kuo, in the note seen by Appleinsider, Apple is expected to "continue to use TFT-LCD technology in 2022." This is apparently both for "marketing and technical reasons."

On the marketing side of things, a version of the 11-inch iPad Pro with a mini LED display is expected to arrive in 2022. However, as OLED is "positioned as a high-end display technology," it is reckoned an OLED iPad Air "may be detrimental to the high-end position and shipments" of the 11-inch mini LED iPad Pro.

The technical reason for it is apparently down to production, as the "performance and cost could not meet Apple's requirements."

While Kuo believes mini LED will be "one of the key selling points for the iPad" until 2023, the current cost structure will make it "challenging for mid- to low-end iPad models to adopt" the displays. Therefore, the firm believes the MacBook Pro will "mainly drive" mini LED shipments.

The new note pulls back from another Kuo forecast from March 2021, one that expected an OLED iPad Air would arrive in 2022, and that a mini LED 11-inch iPad Pro entered production in April.

Updated at 7:15pm eastern: The original version of the report said the 2022 iPad Air would have mini LED, which is incorrect. The note stated that Apple would continue to use existing LCD technology used in the iPad Air, rather than changing to mini LED. AppleInsider regrets the error, and has updated the article accordingly after a request for clarification.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,102member
    “ The technical reason for it is apparently down to production, as the "performance and cost could not meet Apple's requirements."

    I suspect this is the real reason. The MacBook Air and the iPad are not on direct competition with each other and Apple has never shied away from putting high quality components in any of its devices. Historically, production and availability have been significant factors in introducing components to different device lines. 
    StrangeDays
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  • Reply 2 of 14
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,604member
    If Apple can put a better screen in the air for the price point and that kills the smaller pro. They will. 
    Clean up product choice let’s them push upgrades with higher margins. 

    Let’s them maybe do large screen pro. 
    StrangeDays
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,668member
    OLED isn’t that good, burn in and color accuracy when compared to LCD still isn’t that good, Android hardware makers don’t care cartoon colors are fine.
    mike54
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  • Reply 4 of 14
    Xedxed Posts: 3,108member
    danox said:
    OLED isn’t that good, burn in and color accuracy when compared to LCD still isn’t that good, Android hardware makers don’t care cartoon colors are fine.
    What about Apple with their iPhones and Watches?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 14
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,102member
    mike54 said:
    I prefer LCD screens. It's perfectly fine on my iPhone, iPad, and TV.
    I haven’t compared recent models, but back when the ads and Xr came out I compared them side by side and while there were subtle differences, they were pretty trivial and you’d be hard pressed  to notice them if they weren’t side by side. 

    One advantage of OLED that can come into play is the darker blacks. Of course miniLED reduces that difference. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 14
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    MplsP said:
    “ The technical reason for it is apparently down to production, as the "performance and cost could not meet Apple's requirements."

    I suspect this is the real reason. The MacBook Air and the iPad are not on direct competition with each other and Apple has never shied away from putting high quality components in any of its devices. Historically, production and availability have been significant factors in introducing components to different device lines. 

    Could it be (instead) that Apple wants a middle level iPad?   A product line where you have the base level iPad, then the Air and then the Pro -- all with corresponding price tags?  And, since LCD is cheaper than OLED, that would enable them to do that:  create both a price and performance separation between the Air and the Pro.  That would give Apple customers more choice.

    It wouldn't be the engineers or designers making such a call but the (all important) marketing department.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 14
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,166member
    Kuo may have Asian supply chain leakers, but he does *not* know what Apple is thinking or planning, strategy, etc.
    edited October 2021
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  • Reply 8 of 14
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    StrangeDays said:
    Kuo may have Asian supply chain leakers, but he does *not* know what Apple is thinking or planning, strategy, etc.

    Or, I wonder, if Apple could be using him to leak strategic, planned rumors?

    For years they tried to keep things ultra secret and have major, splash events where they revealed these secret new products and features -- and frequently, as should be expected in a maturing market, they were trashed afterwards for not meeting expectations.

    I once worked for a tech startup that ran computer systems for Fortune 500 corporations (back then it was called "outsourcing", now its called "cloud computing").  And, one thing we were taught was "Management of expectations": That it didn't matter how well you did something.  If it did not meet or exceed what the customer was expecting, you failed.

    Perhaps Apple finally figured that out too?

    In this case:  what would happen if Apple released and LCD iPad Air when the market was expecting an OLED version?   There would be blood in the streets....   Tim's blood.
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  • Reply 9 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,668member
    Xed said:
    What about Apple with their iPhones and Watches?
    What about them OLED isn’t used in a iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, the new iMac M1 desktops, or the best monitor you can buy from Apple, and since the current new M series Macs released so far use LCD, Apple will probably continue to do so, color accuracy on those displays (laptops, desktops) used for editing might be important.

    OLED is a compromise that isn’t better for the end user long term. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLED#Disadvantage
    edited October 2021
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  • Reply 10 of 14
    Xedxed Posts: 3,108member
    danox said:
    What about them OLED isn’t used in a iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, the new iMac M1 desktops, or the best monitor you can buy from Apple, and since the current new M series Macs released so far use LCD, Apple will probably continue to do so, color accuracy on those displays (laptops, desktops) used for editing might be important.

    OLED is a compromise that isn’t better for the end user long term. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLED#Disadvantage
    You say they aren't good and yet Apple uses them on their most popular product and they've been using it on the Watch since day one. If you think that a TFT-LCD for an battery powered, always-on display is a good idea then you don't understand the technologies. All you care about is some pathetic, nerd-invented rivalry between Apple and the conglomerate Samsung, who happens to manufacturer the best OLED displays which usually Apple uses after they do their own tweaking. If Samsung still had the best fabs for microchips they'd surely be using them over TSMC, too.
    canukstormmuthuk_vanalingam
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,668member
    Xed said:
    You say they aren't good and yet Apple uses them on their most popular product and they've been using it on the Watch since day one. If you think that a TFT-LCD for an battery powered, always-on display is a good idea then you don't understand the technologies. All you care about is some pathetic, nerd-invented rivalry between Apple and the conglomerate Samsung, who happens to manufacturer the best OLED displays which usually Apple uses after they do their own tweaking. If Samsung still had the best fabs for microchips they'd surely be using them over TSMC, too.
    Samsung and Korea are one in the same, similar to the Chinese companies relationship to their government, and Samsung is out from making chips for Apple because they steal and frankly they suck at it when compared to TSMC…..

    OLED STILL SUCKS WHEN COMPARED TO LCD…. OLED sucks the juice when the background is white, color accuracy is off, and it’s total life time use is less than LCD, there won’t be many 7 or 10 year old computer screens working with OLED, just more trash for the landfill. After all in the Samsung tradition you can throw it away because you need to upgrade the OS.
    edited October 2021
    williamlondon
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 12 of 14
    Xedxed Posts: 3,108member
    danox said:
    Samsung and Korea are one in the same, similar to the Chinese companies relationship to their government, and Samsung is out from making chips for Apple because they steal and frankly they suck at it when compared to TSMC…..

    OLED STILL SUCKS WHEN COMPARED TO LCD…. OLED sucks the juice when the background is white.
    No facts, just xenophobia that leads you hate a technology for extremely odd reasons, and you once again ignore that Apple uses OLED in their most popular and profitable device.

    It's almost as if this guy did a test of the display without resorting to silly bigotry. Imagine that.

    https://www.displaymate.com/iPhone_13Pro_ShootOut_1M.htm
    edited October 2021
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondon
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  • Reply 13 of 14
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,342member
    danox said:
    Samsung and Korea are one in the same, similar to the Chinese companies relationship to their government, and Samsung is out from making chips for Apple because they steal and frankly they suck at it when compared to TSMC…..

    OLED STILL SUCKS WHEN COMPARED TO LCD…. OLED sucks the juice when the background is white, color accuracy is off, and it’s total life time use is less than LCD, there won’t be many 7 or 10 year old computer screens working with OLED, just more trash for the landfill. After all in the Samsung tradition you can throw it away because you need to upgrade the OS.


    The pixels provide white light, that turns into a color with a filter. LG states their OLED TVs have a lifespan of 30,000 hours, which is equal to watching TV 3 hours per day, for 27 years.Jul 22, 2021




    williamlondon
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