Apple is reportedly planning a display overhaul for a selection of its upcoming devices. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech company is currently in the midst of testing OLED screens for three of its products, namely the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPad Air.
This move comes as part of a broader plan to shift to OLED technology, which offers richer colours and deeper contrasts compared to LCD displays. At the moment, Apple is using OLED screens for the iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch.
As previously reported, the M6 MacBook Pro with the hardware will probably arrive sometime in 2027, which means that the MacBook Air overhaul won’t be coming anytime soon. Gurman expects the OLED upgrade for the MacBook Air to happen in 2028 earliest. In the meantime, the M5 version will retain the LCD screen when it launches. This model is expected to debut this coming spring.
Meanwhile, the OLED-equipped iPad mini could make its debut as early as next year. In addition to the screen changes, Apple will reportedly equip the tablet with a redesigned casing. This casing serves to make the iPad mini water-resistant, much like the new iPhones.
Adding to that water resistance is a new speaker system. Gurman’s report claimed that this system will use vibration-based technology, which lets the company remove speaker holes that would normally allow water to enter the device.
Naturally, these hardware changes will likely lead to a price increase. The new iPad mini could end up costing US$100 (~RM420) more than its predecessor. For reference, the 2024 iPad mini has a starting price of RM2,199.
Finally, the next iPad Air will still use an LCD screen. Apple will likely make the OLED switch with the following generation instead. Moreover, the report noted that this model will be the last tablet to get the upgrade. For now, the brand seems to have no intention to fit the entry-level iPad with an OLED display.
(Source: Bloomberg)
