iPad Air's OLED upgrade rumored to arrive in 2026, not 2028
OLED may arrive on the iPad Air significantly earlier than previously rumored, with a new report claiming the change could happen as soon as 2026.
The base of the iPad Air display
The iPad Pro lineup have OLED displays, but models like the iPad Air and the iPad rely on older LCD technologies. The iPad Air could be next in line to get OLED, and though it may have been a long way off, it may occur sooner than first thought.
According to The Elec on Thursday, Samsung Display will probably be selected as the main supplier of OLED panels for the iPad Air. The report believes the change could happen as early as 2026.
This is years earlier than the previous forecast. In March, an analyst proposed that an iPad Air with OLED displays was due in 2028.
If true, this could bring a display technology that has high contrast levels and color representation to a more value-oriented model considerably sooner.
Currently, the iPad Pro is the only model that has an OLED screen. While the iPad Pro uses a Tandem OLED arrangement, namely two OLED panels in a stack, the current thinking is that an expansion to the iPad Air may involve a more conventional OLED panel.
The report adds that the OLED product lineup could change a lot in 2026, beyond the iPad Air. There's the prospect of the iPad mini getting it too, as well as items like the iPhone Fold.
The Elec as a report source typically does well when it comes to supply chain claims. However, it doesn't generally do well when it comes to calling out features of unreleased products. This report does seem plausible, given the economies of scale benefits of OLED production available to Apple.
Rumor Score: Possible
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