New OLED iPad Pro will probably cost as much as a MacBook Pro
A new supply chain report claims that Apple's 2024 iPad Pro models with OLED screens will cost up to 80% more than the current releases.
![iPad Pro could cost almost double with an OLED screen](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/52852-105750-iPad-Pro-display-xl.jpg)
iPad Pro could cost almost double with an OLED screen
Following its existing February report that the forthcoming iPad Pro with OLED display would be more costly, The Elec now says that its industry sources have backed up the claims.
Specifically, the 11-inch iPad Pro with OLED display is reported to be 80% more expensive than the current generation. It's claimed this model will start at $1,500.
The 12.9-inch edition, which The Elec consistently refers to as a 13-inch model, is said to be 60% more costly. It will start at $1,800.
According to The Elec, its industry sources are divided in their response to the potential prices. The publication summarizes people in favor of the price as saying it is "a reasonable increase even considering that it is an Apple product with loyal customers."
Sources arguing against the move, though, are summarized as saying that, "the iPad is not as loyal as the iPhone and has a lot of replacements [alternatives], so it will be difficult to maintain the existing iPad Pro lineup sales at $1500 to $1800."
Apple is reportedly discussing pricing with manufacturers LG Display and Samsung Display. None have commented on the reports.
The Elec has a poor reputation for predicting Apple's plans, but a much stronger one for its industry sources. In this case, it's also likely that the price increase claim is correct because Apple wants two layers of OLED on the iPad Pro, instead of one.
If it is correct, the OLED iPad Pro models will cost more than some MacBook editions. However, Apple is reportedly also considering OLED screens for the MacBook Pro in 2026.
Read on AppleInsider
![iPad Pro could cost almost double with an OLED screen](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/52852-105750-iPad-Pro-display-xl.jpg)
iPad Pro could cost almost double with an OLED screen
Following its existing February report that the forthcoming iPad Pro with OLED display would be more costly, The Elec now says that its industry sources have backed up the claims.
Specifically, the 11-inch iPad Pro with OLED display is reported to be 80% more expensive than the current generation. It's claimed this model will start at $1,500.
The 12.9-inch edition, which The Elec consistently refers to as a 13-inch model, is said to be 60% more costly. It will start at $1,800.
According to The Elec, its industry sources are divided in their response to the potential prices. The publication summarizes people in favor of the price as saying it is "a reasonable increase even considering that it is an Apple product with loyal customers."
Sources arguing against the move, though, are summarized as saying that, "the iPad is not as loyal as the iPhone and has a lot of replacements [alternatives], so it will be difficult to maintain the existing iPad Pro lineup sales at $1500 to $1800."
Apple is reportedly discussing pricing with manufacturers LG Display and Samsung Display. None have commented on the reports.
The Elec has a poor reputation for predicting Apple's plans, but a much stronger one for its industry sources. In this case, it's also likely that the price increase claim is correct because Apple wants two layers of OLED on the iPad Pro, instead of one.
If it is correct, the OLED iPad Pro models will cost more than some MacBook editions. However, Apple is reportedly also considering OLED screens for the MacBook Pro in 2026.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
and galaxy tab s8 ultra has a 14.6" oled screen and starts at $1099
ipads are already pricier than their competitors
When did you stop being The Computer for the Rest of Us? I mean, there has been the Apple Tax for ages, but for a long time if you matched feature for feature it would disappear. Now though you just keep driving prices up and up. I mean $3k laptops are cool and all, but even your Mini has climbed steeply. More importantly the price has become prohibitive for a lot of The Rest of Us. When I got my M1 iPad Pro a bit over a year ago, I really had to scrape to make it. Now you are looking at ~20% above that? For an OLED display that few outside of the technoratti either want or could even tell the difference? Looks like my next iPad will be an Air. I’ll just have to deal with the small screen and that’s assuming you don’t double the price by the time I need to replace the one I have. The replacement for my iMac? Well the new iMac is great and all, but it’s outside of what I can swing. I’m eying a base Mini and external FW drives rather than your exorbitantly priced storage. Actually today I started pondering if for what I NEED the Mac for I might be able to get by with a cheap Linux box. I’d lose all the ‘nice’ functions I use the Mac for on the side, but I could get by.
Out of interest, I entered details to order the current M2 iPad 11 2TB and said wanted to trade in my M1 iPad 11 2TB. They were offering only $345 for a nearly two year old device that listed for over $1,869. Had similar treatment on trading in the 2020 M1 13" MBA 16GB & !TB SSD.
It's not clear to me what the current cost of the 11 inch Pro screen is. But, let's say it's $150, the high end of the "existing 10 inch OLED panel." Let's say it doubles to $300. And let's say the 12.9" model costs $250, and increases to $400.
The only way you get close to an 80% overall price increase is if Apple insists on the same component cost as a percentage of the total product. To accomplish that, they'd have to raise the 11 inch to over $1300 and the 12.9 inch to over $1800. But of course, that makes no sense. The profit margin is the important piece. If Apple simply passes on the raw cost increase to maintain the profit margin, the increases would be 16% and 12%. Even if they have another $100 increase in other components per model (for whatever component you like), we're still at a 24% increase per model.
Given all of that as well a the aforementioned PR/market reasons, I would expect a price increase more in the neighborhood of 15-25%, which is still significant. So, I don't think the data is the problem with this article. It's the conclusion that doesn't seem to make sense.
There is nothing new about Apple's pricing schemes. If anything, they are far more affordable. I bought a Pismo Powerbook in 2000. It was like $3500. A year ago I bought a MBP 14". It was less than $2500. Take inflation into account and one sees Apple hasn't jacked prices up...quite the opposite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c3_D8tt14s