Apple launched the M4 iPad Pro models earlier this year, which are a significant upgrade from their predecessors, and one of the biggest changes is the new Ultra Retina XDR OLED display. It was previously reported that the company would shift the iPad Air lineup to the same display technology in the coming years, and now we know that the OLED panels on the devices will be supplied by Samsung.
OLED displays for the iPad Air will be supplied by Samsung in 2026
A new report from The Elec states that Apple will launch its upgraded iPad Air models with OLED displays in 2026, and panel orders are potentially pointed towards Samsung rather than LG. The report also coins that the OLED panels will be available on the devices alongside the iPad mini refresh, and we can see that the company is aiming to switch its entire iPad lineup to the new display technology.
Samsung is already partnering with Apple to supply the new tandem OLED displays for the M4 iPad Pro models, but most of the panels are manufactured by LG Display. Before the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, it was reported that Samsung was having a hard time keeping its yields high for the OLED display, which gave room to LG to offer its expertise in the field and make up for the losses. This allowed LG to gain more orders for both size variants of the iPad Pro.
Samsung's A3 production line has the ability to produce 135,000 units of OLED displays per month, which Apple uses in its iPhone and iPad models. On the flip side, LG's E6-1~3 line has a production capacity of producing 45,000 units per month. The latter's E6-4 line can produce 15,000 units of OLED displays for the iPad Pro models per month, which raises a question of whether past rumors regarding production capacities were true. However, based on these numbers, Samsung appears to be the only candidate who can be Apple's primary supplier for OLED displays for the iPad Air.
This is not the first time that we have heard details on the 2026 iPad Air getting OLED displays, as multiple reports have coined the same thing, but there are still no final details on which supplier Apple will choose as its primary candidate for the panels. While the report suggests that the iPad Air and iPad mini will come with OLED displays in 2026, it was pointed out earlier this year that the 'mini' lineup would take another year to jump on the bandwagon.
There will be one key difference between the OLED display of the iPad Air and the new iPad Pro models, which will create a gap between the two models as the company would not want one to cannibalize the other. The iPad Air will feature a single-stack LTPS display compared to the dual-stack LTPO display on the iPad Pro models, which will result in lower brightness levels and no ProMotion support. This will reduce Apple's manufacturing costs in order to keep the prices at bay. However, the display would still be a massive upgrade over the current models, which is more than a welcome addition.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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