Rumors of OLED Display for iPad Pro
Rumors of OLED Display for iPad Pro are circulating. (Photo: Henry Ascroft/Unsplash(BY CC 2.0))

There are widespread talks that Apple is working on an iPad Pro with an OLED display and is set to launch the device in the second half of 2021.

Apple's iPad Pro lineup is hugely anticipated to gradually shift to mini-LED starting the first quarter of next year. A fresh report from The Elec, a South Korean chain outlet, reveals that Apple may be planning to equip its iPad Pro lineup with OLED screens, which it may launch in the second half of 2021 along with the new iPhone 13.

The mini LED is a new type of backlighting used for modern LCD screens. It shares a lot of similar advantages with the OLED and also provides users with increased brightness, enhanced energy efficiency, and a reduced risk of having burn-ins. If rumors about Apple integrating OLED screens in its iPad Pro lineup, which it may launch in 2021, then it could further boost the popularity of the device.

Recently, leaks of a report describing Apple as having such plans surfaced. The report mentioned that the Cupertino-based tech giant will start the mini-LED transition of its iPad Pro lineup in the first quarter of 2021. Popular leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, for his part, stated that the transition might start with the 12.9-inch model, subsequently followed by the 11-inch variants of the iPad Pro. After the release of the mini-LED iPad Pros, the Elec revealed that Apple will likely release the new iPad Pro models that feature OLED displays at the beginning of the fall season next year. LG and Samsung are reportedly already working on OLED displays for Apple's iPad Pro.

  The OLED panels that rumors say Apple will use on its iPad Pro lineup set for release in the second half of 2021 are not the regular type anyone would normally find on other devices, such as Samsung phones. Instead, Apple's OLED panels will make use of what rumors say is an RGB tandem structure that allows makers to stack two or three light-emitting sheets inside the panel. Aside from greatly improving the display, it also reduces the risk of experiencing burn-in from blue OLEDs since tablets are typically used for longer times compared to smartphones.

Some rumors indicate the mini-LED backlighting is only for a set of new high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which many say is set for launch around March. If this rumor is true, then it is highly likely that the rest of the iPad Pro lineup will continue using conventional LCD technology until Apple upgrades them with OLED displays in the latter part of 2021. However, the actual roadmap of the company towards this goal remains unclear at this point, and given the time from now to the device's rumored launch, a lot can still happen.